Dear Editor,
It is perplexing that Balram Singh Rai, who served as a member of the colonial legislature, and held two ministerial positions – Minister of Education from 1959-1961, and Minister of Home Affairs from 1961-1962 – with distinction during a fractious period of Guyana’s history was ignored for recognition, while others from both parties, some with dubious records, were accorded “their due.” The question is why? Silence from political leaders of the PPP, the Party in which Rai once served, is puzzling in the face of pleas and even well-meaning criticism from people across the political spectrum.
Bryn Pollard, LLewellyn John and Hamilton Green received national awards, and Brindley Benn, a former Deputy Leader and minister in past PPP governments, who left the PPP in 1968 to form his own party was re-invited to his old party in 1992 and appointed High Commissioner to Canada. This was one of a number of positions in which he served, representing a rehabilitation of sorts, considering that for more than 20 years he was a sharp critic of the PPP. Ranji Chandisingh, former right-hand to Dr. Jagan, who left the PPP in 1977 to serve as Vice President, and General Secretary of the PNC, in addition to a stint as Ambassador to the USSR received absolution from his former party in the form of a eulogy delivered by Donald Ramotar at his (Chandisingh) funeral in 2009. Ramotar at the time was General Secretary of the PPP, while Chandisingh remained loyal to the PNC up to the end.
That two “renegades” received the embrace of their former party (PPP), while Balram Singh Rai was treated as a “leper” is particularly galling. In 1962, an internally engineered coup denied Rai the Chairmanship of the PPP in favour of Brindley Benn, despite the former’s overwhelming popularity for the position. Rai had apparently accused Dr. Jagan of orchestrating the plot, much to the ire of the Leader who demanded a retraction. However, Rai with the strong conviction that he was wronged refused to submit to Dr. Jagan’s demand. He was expelled from the PPP, formed the Justice Party (JP), and unsuccessfully participated in the 1964 general elections (JP received only 1,334 total votes). Mr. Rai ended his political career, and subsequently took up residence in the UK, where he lived until his recent death at the age of 100. Reports state that despite strong efforts by Burnham to rope in Mr. Rai, he rebuffed all offers. His actions contrasted sharply to those of Benn and Chandisingh, reflecting a far more principled position, yet he remained a pariah to the end.
All these facts are rehashed from prior writings, which to me are yet to point a clear explanation for the PPP’s bizarre behaviour, having relented by offering accommodation for all other “recalcitrants’ with Rai being the glaring exception. Is it that Rai’s actions and/ or words were so egregious compared to others, that Dr. Jagan, Mrs. Jagan and the PPP felt deeply offended, and closed the door to any redemption? Mr. Rai can no longer offer answers, unless he disclosed enough to those who had the privilege of interviewing him before his passing. But the PPP owes the general public, particularly its supporters, many of whom remain ardent admirers of a once brilliant leader, an unambiguous explanation for their abnormal behaviour.
Sincerely,
Ramdular Singh
