Dear Editor,

The PPP’s General Secretary on Sat 03-12-11 stated that the party fully supported the utterances that President Jagdeo made at the 1997 cremation site of Dr Cheddi Jagan at Babu John, Port Mourant. The President had then called on “old party faithfuls” to educate the young people about the 1973 elections. I was a PPP activist in the late 1970’s on the West Bank Demerara and I will now tell the youths about the PPP’s arson and murders in the Canals Polder after the elections. I was 13 years old and living at Bagotville when the elections took place.  I consulted a few of my school friends who are older than I am, and who lived in Canal # 1 and 2 during the elections.

There lived in Canal # 2 a few Indian supporters of the PNC. After the close of poll and the security forces had escorted the elections officials and ballot boxes out of the area, about fifty PPP supporters had gathered at a point. Upon the instigation of trained PPP cadres they moved to the home of Mr Jainandan Singh and proceeded to stone his house. They then made their way to the home of a man who was known as Body Jar and stoned his house too. All the windows of both houses were broken. As they threw stones at the windows they shouted in chorus, “Vote PPP! Vote PPP! Vote PPP.”

As a result of the thrashing of the homes, the police placed guards at night at both sites to protect the families. Police Constable Malcolm Caryl aged 23 was placed at Singh’s home, and Police Constable Michael Earl Robinson aged 21 was stationed at Jar’s home. One week after the elections PPP cadres sent a gang of PPP supporters to kill PC Robinson. They surprised him, over powered him, relieved him of his service revolver, and dragged him to the canal where they held his head under water until he died. That was cold blooded murder.

A day later, during broad daylight when no police was on guard and no one was at home, a gang of PPP supporters walked into Singh’s house and set it ablaze. The house was completely burned out. PC Caryl was redeployed to guard Jar’s home. He was surprised by a gang, but he was a weight lifter and managed to free himself from his attackers. The pitch dark conditions aided his escape. They did manage to steal his service revolver.

Inspector Gomes from West Demerara  Divisional HQ headed the investigations into the crimes. He detained and charged several PPP supporters. They were arraigned at Wales Magistrate Court and the PPP provided lawyers for their defence. However no eyewitness was willing to testify in court and the men were freed.

Over at Canal # 1, the few Indian supporters of the PNC were also targeted. Their houses were stoned, their farms were set afire, and their cattle were chopped up. One person, Mr Ganpat, was singled out for death. He was shot to death at the back of his house. A well known PPP activist openly bragged that  Mr Ganpat was shot while he was brushing his teeth. This activist was eventually detained by the police, but there was no eye witness to the murder, and no charges were brought against him. This activist became one of Janet Jagan’s “party children.” He is now deceased. I will not name him out of respect for his wife and children.

The killing of PC Robinson caused tensions between Africans and Indians. A police detail headed by Insp Belgrave was deployed at Stanleytown to prevent African retaliation. In Canal # 1 people were being told by PPP cadres that Jagan would build a highway through Cameron Dam so the residents of Canal # 2 would not have to pass through Stanleytown. It was also being said that a highway would be built from Canal # 1 to Anna Catherina on the West Coast Demerara so Indians would not have to pass through Bagotville. The PPP cadres also told people that Jagan had his army encamped at Boerasarie and that it was awaiting “Cuban soldiers” before they declared war.

Although the above stories of arson and murder were published in the newspapers of the day, Guyanese do not hear of them because the PPP’s propaganda machinery has been very successful in turning national attention to the shooting incident at Number 64 Village where, at night, PPP supporters blocked a small 5 man unit made up of soldiers and policemen. GDF Lt Henry fired a few shots to extricate his men. Just imagined what would have happened had the PPP supporters over powered the soldiers and took possession of the weapons. The PPP acted recklessly when it told its supporters to block the security forces.