A surprising revelation by Hamilton Green
DEAR EDITOR,
If Forbes Burnham had not died unexpectedly on August 6, 1985, the People’s National Congress (PNC) and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) would have merged or at least had a national front government in order to work in the interest of the Guyanese community.
This was one of the surprising revelations made to me by Hamilton Green, who served as Prime Minister, General Secretary of the PNC, and held many ministerial positions. He is currently the mayor of Georgetown. Green, in an exclusive interview with me, said that he was the leader of a small group which included former political advisor to President Burnham, Elvin Mc David, who worked on Mr. Burnham for years to agree to a national front government, and he (Burnham) had eventually agreed just weeks before his demise, but unfortunately he passed before it became a reality.
This, Green said, was the biggest setback of his lengthy political career.
The controversial politician also disclosed that both Burnham and Cheddi Jagan, the architects of British Guiana/Guyana politics were not racial as some critics feel, but their ideologies were a bit different since
Jagan was a more leftist and Burnham was a socialist, and was a strong supporter of the non aligned movement.
In support of his contention, ‘Hammie’ said that when the PPP and PNC split in 1955, several prominent Indos went to Burnham including Dr. Latchmansingh, Jai Narayan Singh and Neville Bissember, while afros like Sydney King (now Eusi Kwayana), Ashton Chase, Brindley Benn, “Cocoa” Wilson and many others remained with Jagan.
He also said that Janet Jagan “was the fly in the ointment” in the merger, because she “shot down” many suggestions agreed to between Burnham and Jagan in the 1960s and 1970s
Green said that Janet never trusted Forbes. She said he was too smart and wondered if he had supernatural power and one time questioned him (Green) if he (Burnham) carried a “compelling” seed in his pocket.
The former political stalwart, who was in politics for more than six decades, in his interview, touched on numerous controversial topics and the problems he encountered. He also raised several issues about the PPPC administration.
It might be surprising to many that Green is a kind and generous person. He assisted Shivnarine Chanderpaul in his early days. A party supporter of his from the East Coast of Demerara told Hammie that there was a lad in the village who could bat all day and he should be encouraged.
Hammie brought the youth a bat, pads, gloves etc. The lad, a few years later, in the person of Shivnarine
Chanderpaul, played for Guyana under 19 and later made the national side and moved up to Test cricket where he excelled. Hammie said that Shiv was/is always grateful to him and calls him on a regular basis.
He added that he has been following Chanderpaul’s performance and said that he is the only reliable and dependable batsman in the West Indies squad. Hammie was disappointed why he is not being selected for the ODIs. It should be noted also that Hamilton Green as Mayor renamed a section of New Garden Street ‘ Shivnarine Chanderpaul’ Drive.
Oscar Ramjeet