Dear Editor,
The election outcome in Guyana has been the subject of conversations among the diaspora at virtually any public or private event. And many have vilified their own party for having lost the election. The diaspora demands changes in the PPP leadership, criteria for membership, party structure, and the election of leadership committees.
Some queried how candidates were chosen and why the party persisted in 2015 with a presidential candidate who lost in November 2011. As one party activist put it at a wake, “You can’t put a limp horse to run twice and expect different results.” They were angry with the party for not reconciling with Ralph Ramkarran and putting him as the presidential or prime ministerial candidate and for not making peace with Moses Nagamootoo.
One theme emanating from the conversations of a growing number of supporters of the PPP in the diaspora is that the party’s loss of the election is a blessing in disguise. Many Guyanese feel a lot of good will come from the PPP being forced into opposition. The diaspora has noted that the leadership of the party and its officials at various levels of government were behaving too arrogantly.
There was a strong disconnect between the party’s supporters and officials as well as the leadership. Air PPP was flying too high from its landing base facing difficulty making it back to ground. Since the party was flying too high in the clouds not paying attention to ground reality when in office, party officials will now ground the plane and implement basic politics.
Even during the campaign, several traditional PPP supporters were saying: “Kick Dem out. Dem too arrogant. Dem nah listen. Dem nah do nothing to protect people. Dem only concerned about themselves and dem family. De, nah care about abbey.”
Some party supporters noted that the party focused on big projects and neglected the small things that concerned ordinary supporters. They note that “Big projects produce big kickbacks,” whereas “small projects have small kickbacks, and dem chap nah want fine change.” Although these comments were made, not one person could provide evidence of corruption. But perception is reality in politics. If you don’t ground with the people, you will pay the price at the ballot box.
Diaspora Guyanese visiting the homeland wanted security and protection from bandits. But the party in government did not pay much attention to that primary concern. Instead of sympathizing with the victims (some from the diaspora) of crimes and even road fatalities by attending wakes, some were seen at bars and hotels socializing with “the biggies.” They did not empathize with the ordinary person as Jagan used to do in his heyday. The diaspora visitors complained about the unkempt environment and harassment from police and public officials (at government offices) for a bribe to get anything done. Some say when they complained of lack of service, workers insulted them. Even PPP government officials had no time for them or would listen to their complaints. The diaspora’s concerns were neglected even though government people would give nice speeches urging them to come back home and invest and enjoy the good life of Guyana. “What good life?” the diaspora asked. To be victims of crime and corruption?
And many were also upset with the party for excommunicating Moses Nagamootoo, Ralph Ramkarran, Khemraj Ramjattan, Seelochan Beharry, Sasenarine Singh, etc, for reasons which could not be justified. As Pandit Ramlall put it, “The party lost its moorings and the leadership was doing things to expel itself from office. I went to jail for this party. I told them about their mistakes and they won’t listen.” The disapora could not understand why the party was fighting everyone who was an asset to them. They could not understand why the party was fighting Glen Lall and KN, the most popular newspaper, and SN. They could not understand why no effort was made to bring healing within the ACG NY branch that had countless divisions and why the leadership sided with a small faction headed by an unpopular figure.
Ignored and dismissed, and out of frustration, the other factions (that founded and built the organization) left the party and supported Nagamootoo and Ramjattan. Pandit Ramlall said that he warned the party about the NY ACG problems and advised on healing.
The pent up frustration and anger with the PPP was building up from the diaspora. The anger was enough to turn off the diaspora especially when they visited Guyana and sought out government officials for solutions to small problems and were ignored. The leadership had virtually no time for them in Guyana but always wanted something when they visited the diaspora. Many in the diaspora had reached a limit of tolerance for disrespect.
And some six weeks later, not one PPP leader has visited the diaspora to explain to its supporters how and why it lost the election and or tender an apology for its blunders. Some of them visited the diaspora but opted not to address their supporters. They find it difficult to face their own supporters who for some forty years provided funding for the party to keep it going.
As advised by the diaspora, the PPP needs to get into the reality mode. It will be a long hard guava season without political power. The diaspora supporters want the party to reform itself and get rid of the chaps around them who suffer from hubris.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
