Dear Editor,
It is right and proper that a political party observe the death anniversary for its founder and for some, a person can be seen as a sort of patron saint. On Sunday March 10, 2024 PPP faithfuls and supporters gathered at Babu Jaan to show their respect and love to Dr. Cheddi Jagan.
The occasion was tarnished by the shoutings of both the General Secretary of the PPP and the Head of State. Instead of confining themselves to show due respect to a man of historical significance, they spent their time in the usual abuse of certain individuals and sections of a credible independent media, completely misrepresenting things said and written by those, whose only interest is the truth. In the run up to this event, Guyanese could not help noticing that the PPP Government is practicing with pomposity a situation they for years criticized, that is, party paramountcy. So you have press conferences at Freedom House hosted by the General Secretary dealing with matters of the state which demonstrates his belief that he is the beginning and end of all things, of all people and of all situations.
As they showered praises on Dr. Jagan’s work, I said to myself, how brazen can some people be. Any intelligent person would recognise the party’s betrayal of the things Dr. Jagan stood for – Respect and a concern for the working class with a few glitches but more importantly a belief that our work should be to elevate the fortunes of ordinary people consistent with socialist ideas.
Today, those who shouted at Babu Jaan have betrayed the finer principles of Dr. Jagan. Tears must have been flowing from Dr. Dr. Cheddi B. Jagan as he listened to the tirade at Babu Jaan. Present were those who are reaping the benefits of a country now rich, but look around the poor masses are struggling to provide proper meals for themselves and family while the big ones in control of large sums care little for the small man.
Some of us have relatives abroad but are not returning because in spite of the monies allocated for the Ministry of Health, our health services do not provide Guyanese willing to come home with the confidence they had hoped for. Dr. Jagan and the earlier leaders of the united PPP would not have allowed the widening of the gap between the few rich and the many poor.
Babu Jaan dishonoured Dr. Jagan by stating unkind things about people and the independent media whose only crime is to speak the truth and reveal to all of us how much the current crop of PPP leaders have strayed from the high principles of Dr. Jagan. As they rabble-rouse at Babu Jaan, they could not explain how they are in charge of an economy where as noted from reliable sources we should have a total revenue from the oil sector amounted to US$ 214,740,ooo instead the account only received US$2,694,000 dollars.
Whatever may have been the shortcomings of Dr. Jagan, and we all have shortcomings, he would have not allowed the ill treatment of teachers and public servants. He would not have allowed this apparent level of corruption and wild spending we see today. Those who let off so much hot air at Babu Jaan must be reminded that you can fool some of the people, some of the time but not all the people, all the time.
Sincerely,
Eric Moseley, MS
