The “lean and clean” government of Dr. Cheddi Jagan is a thing of the past

May 02, 2024 Letters

Dear Editor,

In a letter captioned “Under Jagdeo, corruption, wealth gap, and citizens struggles grew exponentially” and dated December 16th 2023, I stated, “We created through propaganda the stalwart image for Jagdeo, who never did much if anything for the PPP nor PYO. He was foisted upon us by Janet Jagan who pressured the leadership to bring him in. After he attained power the legacy of Dr. Cheddi Jagan was cast aside. It became a party for the enrichment of a few. We can recall when Janet was told that she was an ordinary citizen by Jagdeo. Total lack of respect for the woman who gave him the Presidency on a platter”.

We also know how Cde Navin was marginalized and how Ralph Ramkarran was bypassed and how Irfaan gained the Presidency. In the letter I explained how Jagdeo took control of the PPP. PPP congress took a decision for 20% Civic. However, when Bharrat became President, he increased this to about 60%. Now the Civic was not an organization with values, principles etc. It comprised of individuals brought in at the pleasure of the President. They came in as ministers, parliamentarians etc. Eventually many joined the PPP and because they are well known, because they were Ministers etc, the PPP members voted them into the Central Committee and thus Jagdeo gained control of the Central Committee.

Later we were to witness the vulgar manipulation which caused leading stalwarts to be bypassed and for Donald Ramotar, with absolutely no experience in government being catapulted into the President’s seat. The general feeling was that the real power was behind the throne. Same as it is today after another manipulation.

We must recognize that the “lean and clean” government of Dr. Cheddi Jagan is a thing of the past. We are witnessing the growing impoverishment of our people, the growing corruption, the growing self-enrichment of a small section of the PPP leadership and their friends, family and donors. Of Course they tell us we doing better than the PNC but is that enough. WE deserve what Guyana’s wealth is capable of giving. It is not there for the few select. I will now attempt to explain what happens re Elections at PPP congress. First many of the older members know of the list passing by the leadership. Second, the Amerindians are directly influenced by the leadership who to and who not to vote for.

Third the PPP leadership would place whom they want in positions where they are exposed to and interact with the Members. They are presented as leaders.

But beyond that let me explain the unprincipled nature of the PPP leadership. At one congress I Rajendra Bisessar brought 36. When a vacancy arose, the leadership said they would not proceed to bring in the next person on the list but use some geographical consideration. Laughable, they brought in their friend, Mr. Ramdas, from the Corentyne. Rohit Persaud from the Corentyne was already a CC member so that destroyed the geographic argument.

The Next Congress has five Candidate members Elected. I was one and Berry Ramsarran another. We all know that Berry from Georgetown was one of their favorites. They decided to elect someone from the five. They forgot about geographic. Berry was elected. The next congress saw Lionel Peters, an outstanding organizer but with an independent mind as the only plausible candidate member that could be elected so they forgot about candidate member and went back to some obscure questionable geographic consideration. The circus continues. The next election saw Fazel Khan, highly qualified popular in the trade union movement, an independent mind coming 36. There was a vacancy, but no one was selected to fill. Naubat Persaud, their close friend was 37. When the next vacancy occured they decided to move along the list and brought in Fazel, at 36 and Naubat at 37.If this does not tell a story then what does?

That is not all. The counting of the votes and declaration is not transparent. They could very well place the ballots in front of the returning officer and call out the votes while two recording officers on both sides would record. Others could observe by standing behind and looking at the counting. In the end we would have four tally sheets. But no.

The returning officer would take the ballots and divide them among a number of counters. The returning Officer would be selected by the leadership and would usually be a long standing PPPite. These individuals would count and prepare their tally sheets. One can understand under this modus it would be difficult to observe the counting of votes. The number of tally sheets are then handed to the returning officer who enters them into the computer and then he produces one tally sheet of his making. No one can verify his sheet.

At the congress in Tain, the returning officer was announcing the results from the one spread sheet. I noticed when he reached my name he hesitated and looked back then repeated my name and announced how many votes I received. Of course I did not have enough. I approached him after and asked him to show me the tally sheet, but he refused. He got a big job after and this was the usual practice with returning officers.

WE, in the PPP although there is a lot of grumbling and dissatisfaction usually do not challenge in the interest of party unity. I would like to advise that the PPP lost power in 2015 because of deep rooted corruption. I criticized it and I was terminated. I am not lying when I state that presidential Candidate in the 2011 elections stated that the corruption was deep rooted and he would root it out. This was a headline in the News Paper.

The major problem we have is that the leadership of the parties are in the leadership of the governments, so the party is instrumental in putting them there but incapable of holding them accountable. The habit PPP delegates have is first to tick off the leaders and the ministers and then think of whom to vote for next. So, they are responsible for the perpetuation of the state of affairs where the Party has no control. In fact the leader uses the list system where he choses who are to be MPs and who are to be Ministers etc to ensure he controls people. If they are critical then no meat.

Congress is the only opportunity you have to control your government. So, delegates are advised not to elect those powerful figures in the government but to ensure the CC has seasoned members especially those who have maintained the Legacy of Dr. Jagan and who as a result are ideologically oriented in favour of the working people. We know who are the corrupt and power drunk. Do not cast your votes for them. Put into place a CC that would hold the government accountable and one which calls upon Cheddi Jagan not in name only but one which would bring back his legacy of pro-working class and lean and clean. The future of this country lies in your hands. The selling out of Guyana’s patrimony must cease. The corruption and self-aggrandizement of a few top leaders and cronies must be brought to a halt.

Long live Cde, Cheddi and Janet, Long live the working people.

Sincerely,

Rajendra Bisessar

BSc Sociology, DSc in Law

BSc Sociology, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, DSc in Law, Government, Rajendra Bisessar

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