The PPP does not need fixing; its leadership does

Dec 19, 2016 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

You cannot ask for the impossible and expect the possible. Those who want to fix the PPP to win the next elections, themselves need fixing.
The PPP/C is no longer the party of the working class. It has become the personal kingdom of Bharrat Jagdeo. He owns it; controls it, dominates it and will decide who leads it and where it will go in the future.
In his Congress address he called for the party to forget about the “isms” and embrace change. There is only ism which Jagdeo wants removed. He wants his party to distance itself philosophically from Marxism- Leninism.
The PPP, in practice, has long distanced itself from socialism and Marxism. The seizure of control of the party and the ‘Jagdeoites’ occurred long after the party dumped its socialist orientation.
Yet, ironically, it was a call made by Khemraj Ramjattan for Marxism to be removed from the constitution of the party. That particular call was considered political heresy. The motion which was moved was dismissed and Khemraj was deemed an outcast and eventually he was booted from the party.
That same call is being repeated today by the same persons who crucified Khemraj who had the vision to understand that the PPP needed to change when it was in government. The PPP needed to change because the references of Marxism-Leninism in the party’s constitution would prevent it from attracting non-traditional support.
How things have changed. The PPP no longer is in power. It now realizes that it needs to broaden its support base in order to regain power. But in order to do this, it needs to attract followers who would be circumspect with a party which traditionally was part of the dogmatic left.
The call has therefore been made for the party to not be preoccupied with the “isms”. It is not just a call for ending Marxism. It is call which says do not let ideology become a deterrent to persons being supportive or becoming involved with the PPPC.
But if you remove the “isms” all that is left is Jagdeo. The PPP is Jagdeo.
The PPP therefore cannot be fixed. The PPP is already fixed. It is a one-man show. That one-man show will influence the outcome of the elections. That one-man show will determine the future of the party over the next three years. The PPP needs to build alliances with other forces in Guyana. The party recognizes this fact. It has been trying to use the crisis created by the 2017 Budget to begin this process.
APNU has given a political gift to the PPP. APNU should have frozen the taxation measures until it engaged in dialogue with labour and the private sector. Instead of doing this, there was an irrelevant and stinging rebuke of the Private Sector Commission from the Minister of Finance in wrapping up the Budget debate. There was also a verbal onslaught against Jagdeo, criticisms which had nothing to do with the Budget and its disjointed and oppressive policy measures.
The PPP has been given an opening to do what it refused to do for the last eighteen years of its twenty three year old rule. It has been given a chance to establish alliances with important civil society, labour and private sector bodies.
But that opportunity is going to be squandered because the problem with the PPP is not the party. It is the leadership. The PPP does not need fixing; its leadership does and there is only one leadership – Jagdeo.

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2 thoughts on “The PPP does not need fixing; its leadership does”

Kassem_B December 19, 2016 at 9:23 am

‘Yet, ironically, it was a call made by Khemraj Ramjattan for Marxism to be removed from the constitution of the party. That particular call was considered political heresy’
Not true, he was not the first.
A falsification of PPP history.
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‘The PPP needed to change because the references of Marxism-Leninism in the party’s constitution would prevent it from attracting non-traditional support.’
And will always surface at general elections where the World Power(s) will interfere and skew the elections.
Plus if the bulk of members are not Marxism-Leninism believer and practitioner, why have it when you know it will only hinder the elections result
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‘It is a one-man show’
Do not agree, the fear is from the opposition parties that know he can attract the supporters to turn up and vote at elections, hence your statement which reflect the opposition parties fear, which means you are from that ilk.
galfromna December 19, 2016 at 11:42 am

You really think the APNU has given the PPP/c a gift by way of the 2017 budget. I think not. it’s very early for the political seasons to begin for the 2020 elections. The people will run with the government who got the guts to tackle the real problems and make hard choices. Every day people have to make hard choices in their homes, whether to buy that new TV, or to have enough money for the rent and a few other necessity. Similarly the Government have to make hard choices. The people want better roads, better electricity, more jobs. It takes money to make money and when you can’t borrow it without incurring a debt, then hard choices got to be made. We will always follow the APNU/AFC because the PPP/C is Jagdeo and Jagdeo has forfeited the right to lead the poor people in this country no matter what race they are.

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