-Irish-born Patsy Downey
AS A Roman Catholic in Ireland decades ago, Patsy Downey had a horror of communists, because she was taught that communists were the ultimate evil that would destroy civilization. In 1961, she moved to England where she saw Dr. Cheddi Jagan speaking at a public forum.  She became intrigued at his passionate zeal, and his obvious sincerity in espousing and promulgating his cause.

She had first visited Guyana in the early 60s and subsequently married a Guyanese, who originally hailed from Uitvlugt.  Prior to 1970, she began to visit her husband’s family in Guyana on a regular basis.  She said that as a stranger to this country, who could view the situation objectively, she was saddened to see this beautiful country progressively deteriorate from the zenith of what it was in the 1960s to what it became in 1992 when the PPP/C took office through the first free and fair elections held in Guyana for decades.

She said that she had to walk with the most basic items, such as toilet tissues, every time she came to Guyana, because, like most essential commodities, there was none available in the stores.  Even foodstuff and baby formula had to be purchased on the black-market.

Patsy recollected that the ferry crossing was a nightmare in those days, and one day, after waiting for an interminable time, she became hungry and went to get something to eat.  Although she scoured the area, all she found was cassava balls.

Sometime in the 1980s, Patsy said she saw Dr. Jagan again, passionately advocating his cause at another forum, and she became an admirer of this man who could have practised his profession and lived comfortably with his family, but who instead was putting his life on the line, year after unending year, standing up and fighting for the things he believed in, at great personal cost, for justice and equal rights for all Guyanese.

She said that she admired his passionate but peaceful Gandhian approach to conflict resolution, which she could admire and appreciate, having come from war-torn Ireland.

According to Patsy, Dr. Jagan never gave up, and ended up in the Guinness Book of World Records as a leader who served his people the longest time in the opposition, because the then administration was always rigging the elections.

She said she has videos showing the then administration blatantly rigging the elections in the 1960s and 70s. She went back to London and joined the UK Chapter of the PPP, and has been with them ever since, currently serving as their chairperson.

A bad experience at the hands of immigration authorities in 1989 made her vow never to return to Guyana until the government had changed.  She became engrossed with the political dynamics of Guyana and joined the London branch of the People’s Progressive Party.

Patsy said she first met the young Bharrat Jagdeo when he accompanied Dr. Cheddi Jagan to London as Junior Finance Minister, which he had become at age 28.  According to her, he was so shy and self-effacing that he refused to attend public functions, until she told him that it was his official duty, because people needed to put a face to his name. And the world knows by now that Bharrat Jagdeo does not shirk his official duties.

When she met him the second time, he was Senior Finance Minister at age 31, with a bit more confidence to face the crowds and, upon observing his passionate zeal when advocating the cause of his country, she saw traces of Cheddi Jagan and told him that he would become President of Guyana one day.

According to Patsy, the still very shy Finance Minister was very upset with her prognostication, and requested that she did not repeat that prediction; but Patsy said that having observed him over the years on his trips to represent Guyana, either alone, or accompanying Dr. Jagan, she became even more convinced that she was right.  Moreover, she believes that Dr. and Mrs. Jagan saw the same qualities in their young protégée, and groomed him for that eventuality.

Despite the reserved young Finance Minister’s denials, Patsy’s prediction came to pass.

After the retirement of former President Janet Jagan, due to illness, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo was appointed as Guyana’s Executive President in 1999. Aged 35, he was one of the youngest Heads of Government in the world. In 2001, President Jagdeo was elected as Executive President, and was re-elected in September of 2006.

Patsy says that Dr. and Mrs. Jagan could not have done a better thing for Guyana, because they have left Guyana in the right hands to continue their legacy, which is developing this country with a human face.

Expressing regret that he could not be there for another term, and even longer, she accepts that the present Constitution should be upheld, but contends that even after he demits office, Bharrat Jagdeo still needs to play a crucial role in the continuum of development in this country, so that the momentum of growth continues, and even accelerates.

She is convinced that he will not abandon Guyana, because he has, time and again, demonstrated his unselfish love for Guyana and the Guyanese people.  “He has so much to offer,” she said. “And I would not stand by and allow anyone to criticize him without challenging them, because who could have done as much for this country, given what he had to work with? I saw the real Guyana in the 1980s, and thought that it just could not get worse. But it did. And those who criticize so vociferously today dared not say a word.”

According to Patsy, Guyana had gone from being a heaven and a haven in the 1960s to an absolute hell, which made her very sad, because she had begun to look on this country as her home.

“Why can’t people judge a leader in this country according to results and performance instead of race?” Patsy expostulated. “Look at Guyana today, from what it was when the PPP/C took over.  You could buy anything you want from the stores.  Everything is available at so many locations.  I have even found toys that came from Ireland.  Before the PPP/C took over, I was returning to Guyana every few years, and things were getting progressively worse, until they hit rock bottom, where it seemed impossible to salvage; so low that it seemed it could not go any lower.  I am a fair person, and what I am saying is a fact.  I am Catholic Irish, and I have no loyalty except to the truth, and the truth is that the PPP/C took a country that was devastated and brought it to the level it is today. And all those who complain today can do so because this government gave them freedom to do so, which they never had before.

“They are blaming this government for corruption in the Public Service, but bribery and corruption became endemic in the Public Service long before the PPP/C got into office.  When you have a change of government, you cannot sack the Civil Servants. Even the Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Departments remain on the job, and most likely, they have loyalty to the past administration, which has become the current Opposition, and most often, they spitefully stymie the development process.

“These are the same people who are there, and the new ones who join them soon fall into the system.  They also do not perform at their jobs, and it is almost impossible to fire them, because the unions are just as corrupt.  They do not demand accountability, or that their membership delivers a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay and all the benefits that they enjoy, because their survival depends on the dues paid by their members.

“Most Public Servants are also supporters of Opposition Parties, and create problems for the government at the behest of their political leaders.  Some of them are on a permanent go-slow.  They do not work with any professionalism at all.  Many teachers and nurses do not have a vocation for their jobs, and lives and children’s entire future mobility depend on their service.

“Opposition supporters abroad condemn the crime situation in Guyana, forgetting that crime also exists in the countries in which they live, and also that opposition leaders encourage criminal elements into anti-social, criminal, and even barbaric actions, like the Lusignan and Bartica massacres, and looting and burning private properties, business places and public institutions, saying it is armed resistance.

“What are they resisting? The babies and women whom they murder even while they are asleep in their beds? Or ordinary persons whom they deprive of their jobs, their hard-earned money and lives? And how is the government responsible for criminals whom the opposition encourages?  They don’t care when the innocent people are robbed and killed, but when armed murderers and rapists are brought down by the police, they go to the international institutions and say that Guyana has police brutality.

“If a few police are corrupt, why blame the entire force?  And why blame the government? With all the developments in the country, all the opposition does, even the media houses, is complain and criticise without looking at the bigger picture.

“I have seen the transition of President Jagdeo over the years, and I am extremely proud of the way he has developed.  He is very good for this country and has done very well as a President.  Nobody can take that away from him.  I think he has done well.  He is a lovely lad, a very lovely lad. He has made a mark in the world for both himself and Guyana with the LCDS.  Why can’t Guyanese recognize the pride he has brought to this country and the progress he has made for this people instead of trying to pull him and his Government down?

“The people of Guyana cannot see and appreciate that you can leave from Georgetown, or from Parika, and drive all the way up to Moleson Creek in a relatively short time, certainly within a day, on almost perfect roads, but if there is one pothole, they make a great noise about it, and Sharma, Kaieteur News and Stabroek News would take pictures and blow it out of proportion.

“The Government would budget for development works and repairs to some damaged infrastructure. Media houses would subsequently highlight the areas that have been earmarked for rehabilitation and create a hullabaloo, without revealing to the public that rehabilitation works have already been planned for that project.  When Government subsequently begins work on the structure the media houses take credit for the work being undertaken.  There is great dishonesty at work in this country, and they try to take away credit from the President and his government for the hard work they have put into giving Guyanese across the country a better life.  Are Guyanese blind?  I come as a visitor and can see the massive development and the great improvement in people’s lives in this country.  They enjoy and even profit by the good roads and the many other improvements then turn around and curse and criticize those who made it possible, especially the President.

“No matter to what heights he reaches he still remains great-hearted, simple, and respectful of his elders; and no matter how busy he is he always acknowledges me,” said Patsy. “He loves my cook-up and I always ensure that I have some for him when he comes to London.  He is very happy among the people because he is a man of the people, for the people, just like Dr. Jagan was, and Dr. Jagan could not have made a better choice than Bharrat Jagdeo.  You have seen him the other day in Wakenaam, how happy he was to be among the ordinary people and the children. He was just like one of the gang there. I think he loves and has an affiliation with children and is passionately protective of their rights, especially their rights to a secure life and an education, because he has not forgotten his roots.”

Patsy says that the UK/PPP group is very vibrant and observes all the Guyanese celebratory events.  It also raises funds for the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre and other deserving causes in this country.  Many young persons studying in England find the group a home away from home.  Patsy made special mention of young Charles Ramson Jnr, son of Minister of Legal Affairs Charles Ramson and Leila Ramson, who was studying in London and always played at the Cheddi Jagan Memorial matches, but who specially attended the functions because of the Guyanese food that was always plentiful on those occasions.  Patsy says she sees a lot of promise in him also, because he is not only brilliant, but he is as mannerly, respectful and courteous as Bharrat Jagdeo is, and the latter lived up to her expectations – and fulfilled her predictions.