“We have had difficulties in some regard but on the whole I think we have done well and hopefully we can build on what has happened this year going forward,” Ramotar told a year-end news conference at the party’s Freedom House headquarters, while announcing a year-long commemoration of the party’s 60th anniversary in 2010.
According to Ramotar, the last year has seen an improved security situation when compared with incidents of crime the country experienced in recent years. “It has been a much better year in that regard,” he said, although he admitted that he would have liked to have seen less negative press in areas like abuses by the security forces. Among the most serious cases during the year were the murder of Bartica gold dealer Dweive Kant Ramdass, allegedly by members of the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, and the torture of a teen boy allegedly by members of the Guyana Police Force while in lawful custody. Ramotar dubbed the involvement of members of the security forces in such incidents “a sad situation,” saying they did no good for the country. “And being the party in government, I suppose some of the negative effects will kind of impact on us in a negative way,” he said.
Nevertheless, Ramotar said the party has scored “many successes,” particularly in the social sectors and he singled out health, education and housing as being among the key areas that have seen gains. He also highlighted the expansion of physical infrastructure. “We know there is still much to be done but I think we have really changed the landscape of the country,” he said. Ramotar was also confident that by the next general election-due in 2011-the party would have fulfilled most, if not all, of its elections promises to the people.
He also opined that the country could have seen more progress in the economy if it had not been for the global financial crisis, which he noted affected everyone. “However, it is safe to say that at least so far we have managed to stave off the worst of that crisis compared to what it has been doing in our own region and about further afield…” he said. He cited the collapse of Clico as a blow to the country, but said it was fortunate that the financial sector is a little more diversified than many others in the Caribbean, limiting the effects of the situation.
Meanwhile, Ramotar said that with the anniversary, 2010 promises to be an extremely busy year for the party. He said the party plans to use the entire year to observe the milestone, through both celebration and reflection as it moves ahead. “We have a very proud history of struggle in our party; our work is now totally interlinked with the history of this country,” he said. He added: “And we have influenced history in Guyana-most of the time in a very positive way-in what we have done. All the time we have remained loyal to our principles and to our positions and I think that despite many of the setbacks we have experienced, our achievements are those we can be proud of.”
The party has set up a commemorative committee, chaired by Clement Rohee, to coordinate the various activities to observe the anniversary.
MP Bheri Ramsaran, meanwhile, drew attention to the party’s activity at the grassroots level and its strength, saying it is positioning itself to continue leading the nation for the next few decades. Recently the party opened a new office in Lethem and a new Anna Regina office is to be launched today, he said, while announcing that the party has procured property in Linden and would be starting work on headquarters there shortly. In Region 5, he added, about 90% of the new regional party headquarters is completed. He revealed too that the party has also procured property in Bartica and would start work on an office there shortly. “These are quiet things not usually noted by the media but indicate the grassroots activity of the party and the strength of the party as we go into the new year,” Ramsaran said, while emphasising that grassroots support-through activities like gymkhanas and fairs-is responsible for financing construction of the new offices. “We are positioning ourselves to deliver our commitments by creating this infrastructure,” he added.
The new year will also see the 60th anniversary of the PPP organ, Thunder, which replaced the Political Affairs Committee weekly bulletin in 1950. Ramotar said the party also hopes to generate activities around the anniversary.
