Dear Editor,
In his book on Jung Bahadur Singh, Dr. Baytoram Ramharack makes the following point – “For Cheddi Jagan, change must come from the militant working-class population, armed with a revolutionary class consciousness; for J.B. Singh and members of the BGEIA, the transformation of colonial society should be organic and evolutionary, with leadership and guidance provided by the educated elites of society” (Ramharack, 2019, 240). This distinction to me needs further clarification from Dr. Ramharack and others who still insist that Jagan had abandoned highly regarded Indians.
There is no doubt that Cheddi Jagan and the early PPP were disposed to further the political and economic interests of the working classes, regardless of race. There is also no doubt that later PPP administrations including those of Cheddi and Janet Jagan in the 1990s, Bharrat Jagdeo, Donald Ramotar, and currently Irfaan Ali, have all held the same position. This is one of the reasons why many elite Indians walked away from the PPP and went to Burnham, even if holding their noses.
The other issue is that the ideological framework is profoundly secular, based as it is on a progressive philosophy of human development and human security. While the PPP is deeply respectful of spiritual upliftment through religious practices, it wants a Guyana where matters of the church, mandir, and mosque are left in the domain of the private sphere. This is unlike many critics of the PPP, who are also critics of the PNC and Afro-nationalism but want the PPP to adopt more Indianist perspectives in its official rhetoric and practices. The PPP is wary of using state power to advance any kind of cultural nationalism apart from patriotism.
It would be beneficial if Dr. Ramharack and others clarified if they still believe in the position of the BGEIA. I don’t think so from my constructive conversations with Ravi Dev and others. But clarification should be made. In closing allow to declare, that in my view, the working classes are more “organic” than the “educated elites of society.”
Sincerely,
Dr Randy Persaud
