Strong presence needed on the ground – Jagdeo
THE Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) on Sunday commemorated the 19th death anniversary of Dr Cheddi Jagan at Babu Jaan on the Corentyne. Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo used the occasion to call for the party to have a stronger presence ‘on the ground’.
He said this is vital if the party is to regain political power anytime soon. Dr Jagan is a founding member of the People’s Progressive Party and is a late President of Guyana.
Former president Bharrat Jagdeo told what can be described as the smallest crowd to attend the memorial in the past 23 years, “The Babu Jaan site is sacred, and is a place of inspiration as well as a place where (they) go to bare (their) souls and analyse the way forward, based on the issues that affect the people.”
Addressing a few hundred supporters at the memorial site, Jagdeo said the reasons for the PPP being in Opposition were due to several factors, including complacency; false promises by the coalition; and the message of alleged corruption on the part of the then Government, which was being published by certain sections of the media.
He also spoke about the party’s plans being good on paper but weak in structure ‘on the ground’.
A section of the gathering at the memorial at Babu Jaan on Sunday
He used the opportunity to call on supporters to participate fully in the upcoming Local Government Elections and get back to “house-to-house works” to ensure victory for the PPP.
The former President also stressed that the party has to be strengthened from “bottom up”, and it has to happen through team work.
“There is no place for arrogance,” Jagdeo said. He noted that an action plan has been put in place for the 2020 Elections to be free and fair, and promised to lobby for legislation to ensure same.
“Before the next elections, we have to lobby for legislation to make elections crime punishable by law. We must have thorough legislation against GECOM officials who act fraudulently,” he declared.
PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee, assured the gathering that the party will continue to use the occasion to let its supporters know of its future plans, based on the legacy of its late leader.
“I think we could assure ourselves that there will not be too many celebrations of this type before the PPP is returned to office. Normally, at every Babu Jaan activity, people pay a lot of attention to what is said at these functions — the press, Government and the PPP so-called watchers. They pay very close attention to the pronouncements and speeches that are made here; but we all know close attention is made every year to this Babu Jaan activity, because these activities are a sounding board to tell the nation, the supporters of the PPP; tell those who are still committed to serve, to tell them what is our future based on the legacy of Cheddi Jagan,” Rohee said.
Rohee said the PPP will commemorate its own activity to mark Guyana’s 50th Independence Anniversary. He accused the Government of distorting the struggle for Independence in a bid to take most of the credit for the historic achievement.
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