Dear Editor,
In an article entitled ‘A Soupy Nomination Day, Jah Rastafari!’ written by Gaulbert Sutherland, (Stabroek News, April 8), Organization for the Victory of the People (OVP) was described as “communist sounding”, quoting me as saying that we are seeking to “build on Burnham’s legacy and that we are the real PNC.” OVP cannot be reviving Burnham’s legacy and be communist, since Forbes Burnham was never a communist. In fact, it was the late Cheddi Jagan who was the self-proclaimed communist, with affiliations to a number of international communist organizations.
This comment by Mr Sutherland represents a complete historical distortion, one that has been concocted by those who continually seek to turn Forbes Burnham, revolutionary leader and Father of this Nation, into ‘Public Enemy Number One’. It is therefore extremely important to set the record straight, especially for our youth.
In his book, A Destiny to Mould (1970), Burnham said, “that ours is not a communist party nor is the party affiliated to any communist organization outside or inside the country…We reject the orthodox communist dogma and system as being irrelevant and unsuited to our aspirations and needs. On the other hand we do not see our solutions in terms of unrestricted and uninhibited… It is my government’s determination that Guyana will never become the pawn of either East or West.”
This is a clear rejection of the same predatory capitalism that is devouring Guyana today, and the failed Soviet-style communism.
Burnham was, like so many great leaders, a man before his time. Many are only coming to terms with the bankruptcy of these two failed, eurocentric, materialist ideologies in 2015. Many have yet to see the light. Burnham understood these truths in 1970. Of course, it is clear when you read Burnham’s pronouncements, quoted above, that Mr Sutherland, like so many of our people, has fallen victim to the misinformation campaign, waged as part of a deliberate plan to ensure that no matter what, the people would come to revile Forbes Burnham, and never revive his vision – a vision that remains as relevant today as it was decades ago. Long after his death, the effort to tarnish his legacy remains firmly in place. He really must have been on the right track for the enemies of the people to continue with their attempts to bring him down, to this day. This is nothing new.
The revolutionary leadership of every country in the Caribbean and South America has been demonized at one time or another for daring to dream of true emancipation. One thing history has taught us, is that no matter how many lies are told, how much misinformation is spread, the truth never dies. It survives in the hearts and minds of the people and will be passed down from generation to generation. The failure of the plan to destroy Burnham’s legacy is a good example.
Despite constant Burnham bashing, to the people Forbes Burnham remains a hero, and the only leader who articulated a national vision that would have led Guyana down the path to true independence, self-reliance and prosperity. OVP, being truly an organization of the people, seeks to build on Burnham’s vision. We do this because it is absolutely necessary if we are to dismantle the existing neo-colonial state and complete the struggle for national liberation.
Finally, as an organization made up of Christians, Muslims, Rastafari and Hebrew, we find it ideologically offensive to be called “communist-sounding.” Let us be clear, both the materialist and secular ideology of communism and the rapacious, materialist ideology of neo-liberal capitalism are incompatible with the revolutionary teachings, traditions and theologies of our faiths.
Yours faithfully,
Gerald A Perreira
Leader
Organization for the Victory of the
People (OVP)
Editor’s note
Mr Sutherland’s column is intended as a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the current election campaign.