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NO CHANGE IN THE PPP

Dec 20, 2016 Editorial, Features / Columnists

After a long hard 18 months of frustration of being in opposition, the PPP hierarchy has finally decided to hold the Congress. This happens after an absence of three years and is being held under the theme: “Strengthen the Party; Defend Democracy; Onwards to Victory”.
In his opening remarks of the 31st Congress at Cotton Field Secondary School, opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo called on the party to free itself from the “isms” of the past and focus on what is good for the country. He told hundreds of party supporters that while he does not support the removal of references of Marxism-Leninism from the PPP constitution, the party must move away from them and the historical notions of development. It must pursue a new path of development that is good for the country and all its people.
However, based on media reports, it is not likely that any substantive change has taken place at the Congress.
The de facto PPP leader was at his best as he assured the nation that if his party wins the next general elections, all Guyanese would be treated fairly, even those who are not members and supporters of the PPP. If not, the party will have no moral right to fight discrimination if it discriminates against people because of their race, religion or party affiliation.
These are heartening words; they have been repeated many times but the very Jagdeo has not converted them into reality. Cries of discrimination still fill the air.
The former president urged party supporters to be broad minded and reach out to all segments of society, including disappointed supporters of the governing coalition. However, it is predictable that they will attack their former comrades: Moses Nagamootoo, Khemraj Ramjattan and Ralph Ramkarran.
One by one, the senior leaders of the party have called for a drastic change in the direction of the PPP, but like at all previous Congresses, the concept of change is just a thought. It is expected that no change will ever occur, because most of the leaders are inflexible and are resistant to change the core principles of the party.
Ironically, as is the tradition of the PPP at its Congresses, speaker after speaker were handed a script which instructed them to praise the founder and late leader of the PPP, Dr. Cheddi Jagan as the indisputable architect of the nation’s political and economic development. Many claimed that his radical leadership contributed to the events of the 1950s and 1960s as part of a regional revolt against the inequities of the plantation economic system, the yoke of colonial oppression and the struggle for universal adult suffrage, among others, which gave every adult Guyanese the right to vote for the first time.
It is rather odd and perhaps moronic for the opposition leader to call on the members to remove the “isms” from the party. Lest we forget, almost two decades ago, it was Khemraj Ramjattan who had called on the party executives to remove the Marxist-Leninism references from the party’s Constitution in order to attract broader support.
At the time, Ramjattan had the vision that the PPP which was in government needed to change its image. However, he was chastised by the party hierarchy who felt that his actions were blasphemous. He was expelled from the party.
The call made almost two decades ago by Ramjattan to remove the “isms” from the party is being made today by Jagdeo who crucified him. He has single-handedly decided who should be the Presidential and Prime Ministerial candidates in the last two general elections and is likely to do the same in the next election.

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