PPP PRESS STATEMENT

CENTRAL COMMITTEE REPORT

Delivered by

PPP General Secretary

DONALD RAMOTAR
GENERAL SECRETARY’S REPORT

To

28th Congress People’s Progressive Party
July 30-31, 2005

INTRODUCTION

Comrades we are meeting here in Essequibo, the largest county of our country. This is a county rich with history of resistance to oppression, and always in the front line of our struggles.

This is the area that produced Damon, that fearless and uncompromising fighter for freedom. The P.P.P. has captured the spirit of anti-slavery fighters like Damon and Accabre in continuing their cause towards social liberation!

As we meet in this beautiful county, we honour the memory of the youthful Balram Kandhai the PYO activist who was gunned down at the end of our last Congress by the agents of PNC terror and crime. May his sacrifice inspire us to make our country a safer place.

When our Party last held its congress here in 1970, it was our Sixteenth Congress. It was at a very important juncture in the history of our Party and Country.

It was the first Congress after the rigging of the 1968 General Elections and the rigging of the 1970 Local Government Elections. It was at that Congress that the decision to transform and restructure the Party taken at the 1969 Special Congress, was implemented.

This was in response to the changed situation that emerged as the country was dragged down an undemocratic path which led to serious social, economic and political problems. There was the need for a more disciplined Party to confront the then PNC regime that was becoming more oppressive as it became unpopular.

We discharged that responsibility after a long and determined struggle; we succeeded to remove the dictatorial yoke from the necks of our people!

Today we are meeting in vastly different circumstances. We have restored democracy; human rights are respected and upheld; and freedom of conscience and speech are flourishing in our country. However, the demands are great and the need for discipline is demanded even more today than thirty-five years ago.

The Party’s policy in the immediate period rests on the foundation of an analysis of the international situation and on the concrete situation in Guyana.

THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION

We are living in a world in which changes are taking place at a tremendous pace. It poses great challenges and possibilities for all-round development. At the same time it also poses grave dangers as the polarisation of poverty and wealth, rich countries and poor countries continues to be dangerously wide.

At the beginning of the century, the United Nations, in recognition of the social and economic plight of the teeming millions in the developing world, hammered out the Millennium Development Goals. One of these goals was the drastic reduction of poverty worldwide. Then, attaining these goals was seen as feasible. Today, from the perspective of economics, politics, social conditions and governance, the achievements of some countries stand in sharp contrast to a marked stagnation and deterioration of many. Social scientists and various experts tell us, not only that the goals may not be reached but indeed, in general terms, poverty has grown and inequality within countries and among countries has expanded.

Interestingly, the harsh realities we face today are experienced at a time when corporations are amassing huge super profits. One startling statistic reveals that the wealth of the three (3) richest people is more than the GDP of forty-eight (48) of the poorest countries of the world. And, the author, Jeremy Rifkin wrote in June, 2005 in the UK newspaper, the GUARDIAN : “Today, while corporate profits are soaring around the world, 89 countries found themselves worse off economically than they were in the early 1990’s. Capitalism promised that globalization would narrow the gap between the rich and poor. Instead, the divide has widened. The 356 richest families on the planet enjoy a combined wealth that now exceeds the annual income of 40% of the human race. Two-thirds of the world’s population have never made a phone call and one-third have no access to electricity.”

The People’s Progressive Party has long held the belief that a world order which promotes and propagates policies that benefits just a few while it disadvantages large numbers of poor countries needs reform and change. Cde. Cheddi Jagan, founder of our Party and late President of Guyana, addressed his mind to this question and concluded that the world needs a New Global Human Order – one which puts people first; one which will see a fair distribution of the world’s wealth; one which will effectively address the social scourges in our midst.

According to Cde Cheddi, “We need action and goal-directed structural changes, based on the history of societies and a fuller grasp of their social dynamics. A comprehensive strategy for the entire society is required, based on systematically elaborated, rational principles for the establishment of reasonable social relations.

We must elaborate a rational approach to development, not simply for economic growth, but also for human development.

“It is necessary to shift from treatment of the symptoms of the crisis to the root causes and to demonstrate the political will to harness science and technology in the service of humanity.

The current world disorder must be replaced by a New Global Human Order. Nuclear security must give way to Human security.

The deterioration in the world situation, in our times, coincides with the thrust of a new wave of globalisation.

Today, we are better placed to make a reasoned judgement of its impact on countries, and their peoples.

Undoubtedly, globalisation has great potential to improve the lot of the people of the world. However, at this time when the multi-national corporations wield great influence in the corridors of power in the most developed countries, globalisation’s benefits have reached only a few developed states, while in most developing countries, things have gotten worse.

Moreover, many of the poor in the developed countries have seen their conditions worsen in the reduction of spending on public goods such as health, education etc. Those gains that workers fought so hard for are being snatched away. Without the restraining influence of the world’s socialist system, more of those gains will go in the future. At the same time, Third World countries’ sovereignty will become more formal than real. Exploitation of their resources and their peoples has actually been intensified.

Statistics gathered have shown that of the 4.9 billion people in developing countries in 2000, around 1.1 billion lived on less than a dollar a day; more than 950 million were illiterate;1.2 billion lacked access to an important water source and 2.7 billion lacked access to basic sanitation. Nearly 104 million children of primary-school age were out of school. The gap between the richest strata in the developed world and the developing countries widened rapidly.

It is estimated that India alone has over 320 million people living in poverty. In Latin and Central America and the Caribbean, the estimated figure stood at 240 million.

Another feature of today’s economic growth in developed countries is that it is not producing more jobs. A while ago, we used to hear about ‘jobless growth’. Now-a-days, we are hearing about ‘job-loss growth.’

The issue of the debt burden continues to be one of the burning questions of our day. Particularly, for less-developed countries it is a major problem. Research has long ago explained its stagnating effects on development, and the massive transfer of resources from the poor to the rich countries. In fact, it is estimated that Africa transferred some US$210B to the West through profits by multi-national corporations and debt servicing. The continent’s debt currently stands at some US$300 B.

The People’s Progressive Party has subscribed in the past and to this day to the view of external debts write-offs, forgiveness and rescheduling. The necessity for substantial debt relief for developing countries can hardly be disputed. To the world’s 62 poorest countries, debt write-off is a necessary step if they are to get a chance to tackle their underdevelopment, fight poverty and enhance their peoples’ living standards.

In recent weeks, the debt question received international attention when President George Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair announced a debt write-off to the tune of $US 40B within a 10-year period. Eighteen countries will stand to immediately benefit with another possible 20 if they meet the rigorous HIPC requirements. For these individual countries the package means that the write-off will be some $1.5B. per year over ten years. Guyana will be one from among those countries that will immediately benefit. The PPP welcomes this gesture. It will help. However, much more needs to be done as the question of debts and also in terms of fair trade and investments.

At this time, only a few years into the new century, many of the goals set by world leaders at many conferences are being questioned. With respect to Aid and the Millennium Goals, the notable Jeffrey Sachs, Director of the Earth Institute of Columbia University and Director of the U.N. Millennium Project pointed out: “Most recently, the U.N. Millennium Project undertook the most extensive analysis of this question ever performed and determined that the developing world will require an addition of $70B in aid over current levels by 2006, rising to $130B over current levels by 2015 (in constant U.S. dollars at 2003 prices).” With such kind of figures and given existing levels of disinterested aid, the Millennium Development Goals could well be staring at a no-win proposition.

For the PPP, these UN Millennium Goals coincide with our outlook and philosophy. We have an interest and stake in their realisation. It is laudable that the PPP/C government is taking serious steps to attain these goals in Guyana. We applaud those efforts and this Congress should encourage the government to pursue, undeviatingly, these lofty objectives.

In the context of the world economy, trade issues have acquired a prominent place. Many struggles have taken place on ‘fair’ and ‘free’ trade and the rules and mechanisms that govern trade. The struggles and the talks are continuing. But, in recent times, there have been notable developments.

The battles waged on trade is taking the form, in general terms, of a conflict between the interests of the developed countries of the North versus the weak, developing countries of the South, in-as-much as conflicting interests exist within these broad blocs. Somehow, it seems that the North, not always, but most times, get the upper hand in negotiations. A case in point is agriculture. Farmers, be they in Africa, Asia, Latin America, or the Caribbean, have to face excruciatingly painful challenges. In entire sectors, farmers have had their livelihoods destroyed or threatened. The growth of agri-business, as they penetrate the developing countries with cheap products, made possible by today’s rules, are making, in several instances, individual, small and medium-scale farming activities worthless. Literally, millions, with their families, are vulnerable and the primary source of this harm, Oxfam has correctly identified, is the $250B in subsidies that the European and U.S. governments give yearly to their farmers.

We, in the Caribbean, have our unhappy experiences too. Changes in the European Union trade patterns have dealt telling blows on us. Yesterday, it was the banana industry; today, it is sugar. Our already weak economies will be further affected; for thousands of workers and their families, in Guyana and other Caribbean countries, their livelihoods are now seriously threatened by such callousness in trade.

Trade, like aid and debt, is critically linked to poverty alleviation and eradication. They are matters on which our voices must be raised. They are matters on which we cannot stand on the sidelines in the worldwide struggles waged for a fair and advantageous system of trade upon which we so heavily rely.

From the foregoing, we can well say, comrades, that like everything else, the global economic situation is experiencing change. The U.S. is not the only super power. It shares this position with the European Union and Japan, the other two major players in the world economy. These three entities are dominant in the global economy and have been so for some time now.

Increasingly, however, in recent years, another economic powerhouse has arisen. It is the People’s Republic of China. Its economic clout gives it international reach. More and more, one sees its economic presence in regions once dominated by the established three economic powers. India too, has grown into a big economic power and international player. And Brazil and South Africa are two countries which today have made amazing strides economically and are respected well beyond their shores for their advancement.

Quite apart from the economic realities and developments, we must pay attention to other critical developments in the international situation in our day.

The Cold War era has passed on. Passing on, too, is the World Order where two super powers prevailed and two contending world socio-economic systems – capitalism/imperialism and socialism – dominated. Although some countries retain their socialist character, today, one super-power – the USA prevails and capitalism/imperialism dominates the world scene. Today, too, we live in a world where new threats have arisen, threats to security, to democracy, to the working people, to our environment, to peace. Humankind faces grave dangers.

Introduced to our political lexicon, in recent times, are a stock of concepts and doctrines – rogue states, failed states, regime change, narco-states, axis of evil, humanitarian intervention, pre-emptive strike, unilateralism, New World Order among others. These are not simply confounding terms, they convey an ominous message. When considered within the context of the policies, trends and action on various issues and in different regions, the missive can be clearly interpreted. It is a message that says: Might is Right. It is a statement indicating that militarism, will play a key role in global affairs.

We, in Guyana, like people throughout the world must be concerned over the rise of militarism. We note with alarm the steep rise in military spending in our world. The U.S. in particular spends enormous sums on the military. Its military budget for 2006 is projected at US$400B.

Militarism devours enormous resources that could go towards development and in enhancing social amenities. On the other side of the militaristic coin in terrorism. In the name of fighting to correct injustices, terrorism has killed innocent people in many parts of the world. Most recently 56 citizens of the U.K. perished at the hands of the terrorists.

Those heinous acts only serve to strengthen militarism, destroy the rights won by heroic struggles for decades and put the World Peace Movement on the defensive.

As poverty is a scourge, so, too, are militarism and terrorism.

Comrades, since we last met some events have taken place that have had great impact on international relations. The most significant of these was the invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of the regime of Sadaam Hussain. Well over US$200 billion is being spent on the war and occupation of Iraq.

The events leading up to this were extremely disturbing.

The Sadaam Hussain regime was accused of having weapons of mass destruction. After a while the Iraqi Government agreed to allow UN weapons inspectors into the country to verify the existence of those weapons or not.

The inspectors were working and were reporting that they were having full cooperation from the Iraqi authorities. Indeed, days before the invasion took place the UN arms inspectors were engaged in destroying Iraq’s missiles of a certain range.

After all of this and before the inspectors could have concluded their work the massive invasion took place creating great destruction both in human lives and property.

More than a year has elapsed since that invasion. The security situation has deteriorated with daily bombings, kidnappings and assassinations. Various communities seem to be on the brink of clashes, posing a great threat of civil war.

In the meantime all kinds of constitutional engineering are being attempted.

For democracy to succeed it has to be a movement from within. To attempt to impose it from outside will achieve something that is ridiculous. What needs to be done, is to strengthen the security situation and for foreign troops to leave the country as soon as possible.

The PPP is of the view that the UN arms inspectors should have been allowed to conclude their work. There was no need to rush to war. And the excuse given, that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction proved to be false.

In the flames that are engulfing the Middle East, still burning after some 50 years is the Palestinian issue. This is a people betrayed. They have been forcibly dispossessed of their lands and country. Like South Africa in past years, apartheid is a reality for them. A just settlement has so far been elusive, primarily due to the intransigence of Israel and its open support from the powers that be. For too long, the Palestinian people have been victims of injustice, exposed to regular bloody repression and have had many of their leaders assassinated. For too long Israel’s ruling class, collaborating with the ruling elite of a few developed countries, has flouted resolutions of the United Nations and perpetuated its illegal occupation of Palestine lands. We cannot support such injustice. A resolution on the Palestine issue is quite possible and must be found in collaboration with the democratic participation of the people and in accordance with international laws.

At this point, we must express a high appreciation to our Government and the Governments of the Caribbean countries for their collective stand on Haiti. Theirs was a principled position and not easily taken. We support the solidarity they are giving to President Aristide and his elected government.

On the South American Continent the neo-liberal model of economic development has failed to solve the problems of the people. In fact, poverty is widespread; peoples’ social conditions have stagnated; the debt burden weighs like a yoke on their neck; unemployment is soaring and the illicit drug trade goes on while crime and violence threatens many nations stability.

The conditions are breeding protests, riots and different forms of mass actions which have led to many changes in government. Argentina a few years ago was changing governments almost weekly.

Other significant factors, too, contribute to the renewed international focus on this continent.

There is Cuba, for instance, still socialist, notwithstanding the drastic changes, which have occurred in the world socialist system. Almost from the inception of the revolution, Cuba had to endure a damaging economic blockade. It had to confront well armed and financed terrorists attacks. Yet its social achievements are second to none in the world. In terms of life expectancy, level of literacy etc., Cuba stands with the richest countries of the world.

Despite its many problems Cuba has extended its solidarity to the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. They have trained thousands of medical workers, engineers and other disciplines to help poor countries develop their human capital. Today, thousands of students, including hundreds of Guyanese are studying in Cuba.

We are thankful for its selfless assistance for the educational advancement to so many children from our working people. We reiterate our solidarity to Cuba, its people and leadership.

Just a few miles from this Congress venue is Venezuela. Not many of us may have an intimate knowledge of this country, but an interesting process is going on over there. We will remember that country’s democratically elected and dynamic President Hugo Chavez as, not so long ago, he visited Guyana. President Chavez has ushered in to Venezuelan society what he calls, the Bolivarian Revolution. For that he has survived three major attempts to oust him from power. There were an attempted coup, a massive strike and a referendum, but he overcame them. President Chavez has triggered a process that has raised the ire of the wealthy latifundists and previously privileged sectors in his country. On the other hand he is blazing a path into the hearts of the masses of the historically downtrodden working people by the process that is taking place. He has emerged as a progressive nationalist in Venezuela and a courageous and outspoken leader of the continent.

He has embraced policies biased towards the poor; is utilising the huge profits from oil, for the benefit of his people; brought education to the powerless and medical services, with the help of thousands of Cuban doctors, to hundreds of villages and communities.

The PPP would like to make it very clear that we are opposed to all attempts to remove the democratically elected government of President Hugo Chavez by undemocratic means. This goes against all the norms and principles of democracy.

Moreover, we wish to express our appreciation for the initiative taken by President Chavez in offering oil at concessionary prices to non-oil producing Caribbean states. This is an important act of solidarity, with sister Caribbean countries groaning under the steep rise in the price of fuel.

We also wish to take this opportunity to express our satisfaction with the great strides made by the Government of Brazil under the leadership of President Lula to improve the conditions of life of the Brazilian people and the positive positions it has been taking on a number of trade-related issues,

At the beginning of this month, the G8 countries, the richest in the world, met in Scotland. On their agenda was poverty in Africa. Demonstrators in solidarity with Africa, hundreds of thousands strong, converged in Scotland under the slogan ‘Make Poverty History’ and millions more gave solidarity at concerts in eight capitals of the world to this cause. Africa is reputed to be the richest continent on this planet and blessed with tremendous natural resources. Paradoxically, its peoples are considered the poorest. For centuries, its people and land have been exploited by colonialism and today by mainly multinational corporations. With the exception of South Africa, development has been stultified and many countries are torn, ravished by bloody, gruesome internecine conflicts, many of which are manipulated by the hidden hands of foreigners. In addition to conflicts, which, having left a death toll of millions, hunger and disease, especially HIV/AIDS, thrive.

The wealth of Africa can adequately address the problems that bedevil that continent. To do so, however, substantial amounts of it must be diverted from its foreign destination and remain on the continent for its development and enhancement of its peoples’ lives. Nelson Mandela, former South African President and revered African Statesman said that Africa’s time has come. Millions of people around the world demonstrably told the G8 leaders meeting in Scotland the same thing. We, in the PPP, add our voice to this world chorus too.

Another development needs to be noted. This entails the “promotion of democracy.”

We have our own experiences with the question of democracy in Guyana. It was a long and difficult struggle to its re-emergence in 1992. Then, of course, many of the voices heard today were silent at its denial to Guyana’s people. Democracy is close and dear to us and we welcome it taking roots across the globe. We support its expansion too – from the political sphere to, importantly, the social and economic spheres. The insistence of democracy must be a principled one; it is a right to be enjoyed by all peoples.

While we welcome international solidarity in the struggle for democracy, we believe if imposed by force, if it is manipulated by external forces for their own interests, it will not work.

We are therefore concerned that no less a person than the U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, called on the OAS to take action on countries whose governments may be democratically elected but whose rule is determined undemocratic. This was a loaded dice thrown and, rightly, did not find favour with member states.

The right to self-determination, democratically chosen, cannot have conditions placed on it.

As things stand, at this moment, it looks, increasingly, that the world is at a historical crossroads. On the one hand, there is a range of issues, the nature of which, threaten our civilisation and stymie mankind’s advancement to a better and brighter future. On the other hand, life has thrown up powerful forces which are activated, motivated and more and more, united around various social, environment, economic and anti-war issues. This is the movement which the New York Times, not long ago, referred to as the new super-power. This movement’s power and reach was seen prior to the war on Iraq when, millions and millions worldwide marched to prevent that war; its strength was repeatedly seen and most recently seen when millions assembled in solidarity with Africa’s poor as the G8 countries met in Scotland. Really, this is another face of globalisation.

From the early 1990s, the balance of forces moved towards the right. However, the policies of neo-liberalism have not been able to solve the real problems of the people. Indeed, in many cases it has aggravated them. Global issues like the environment, unilateralism, militarism have gotten worse. As a result, we are beginning to see a growing shift in favour of the forces that favour peace, democracy and social and economic progress.

The PPP’s history propels us along a certain path. We have never looked inwards alone but we have always seen the interconnection between the national and international. In the era of globalisation, the international could well impact our national development efforts as never before. It will be inadvisable, then, not to give the required attention to trends, policies, players, developments, institutions, agencies that perform or take part on the international stage. We should not only assess and analyse reality objectively – this is important. Of equal importance is that we should be ready to take a principled stand on various issues, as necessary.

With this in mind, our Congress must reiterate :-

commitment to a good neighbour policy and maintenance of friendly and co-operative relations with our immediate neighbours, Brazil, Venezuela and Suriname;

commitment to world peace;

support of a reformed United Nations and the principles of multilateralism;

support of the right to self-determination and respect of sovereignty;

opposition to unjust wars, militarism and the production, proliferation and use of nuclear and all weapons of mass destruction;

strengthening of relations with democratic organisations of South America pursuing people-oriented policies;

strengthening of CARICOM;

condemnation of interference in countries’ affairs or their destabilisation or any and all measures aimed at promoting divisions and disharmony in and among countries;

respect for, and urge all governments to respect, established international laws and conventions;

condemnation of war-crimes, torture and genocidal acts and support justice for those responsible;

expressions of solidarity to those globally who are fighting for humanity and for humanitarian causes;

condemnation of terrorism whether pursued by individuals, organised groups or states;

support of the call for a New Global Human Order.

THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SITUATION

Comrades, the international situation, which, at once, is complicated and dangerous and yet hopeful, is the backdrop against which the PPP/C government has had to manage the Guyanese society. The global realities advise against adventurism and suggested a course of care and caution. The local situation too-political, economic and social – presented formidable challenges, which impacted on governance and our development thrust.

Yet, despite unfavourable conditions, the PPP/Civic government has made admirable strides in building our economy and in improving the social conditions of the Guyanese people.

To appreciate the strides we have made, it is important that we recall from whence we came. In October 1992 when the PPP/Civic assumed office, we inherited a country that was in almost total ruin. This situation affected our economic, political and social life. Moreover, our physical infrastructure was in a state of almost total collapse.

Guyana was saddled with a massive foreign debt of some US$2.1 B. Per capita, we were one of the most heavily indebted countries in the world having a per capita debt of approximately US$3000, while our per capita income was just over US$300.

The huge debt contributed to the massive out-flow of resources from Guyana. More than 95% of government revenues were consumed in servicing the massive foreign debt.

The situation was really hopeless since our productive sector was declining. This was true of every other sector examined.

Sugar production had fallen to just 129,000 tons in 1990. We were importing sugar from Guatemala for local consumption. Rice had reached an all time low of just about 90,000 tons in that same year. The alumina plant at Linden was closed, while production of bauxite fell sharply.

Other areas where we were once self sufficient e.g. poultry production, also crashed. We were importing almost 100% of chicken for our local consumption.

The situation became even more desperate when consideration is given to the state of our physical infrastructure. Most of our roads had become impassable; the sea defences were collapsing all along the coastal and riverain areas; the state of disrepair of our stellings and many of our key bridges were self-evident. Drainage and irrigation works were hardly ever done. At that time, floods were not caused by rainfall alone, but mostly by the regular breaches of the sea defences.

The situation with electricity and water was also very grim. It is amazing to note that in the 28 years of PNC rule, not a single megawatt of electricity was added to the grid. It was, therefore, not surprising to have had more periods of outages than electricity.

People living along a number of communities on the coast had to walk long distances to obtain potable water. This was particularly difficult for women and children, who were often seen pushing “go-carts” with drums of water along the roads.

These were all important infrastructure, crucial to production in both industry and agriculture and, most of all, linked to a satisfactory quality of life for our people. These were clear indications that development was stultified.

Compounding all of this was the blatant institutionalisation of corruption and racial and political discrimination.

Recall, that to get the most basic of jobs one had to have a PNC Party card. That was a qualification, sometimes sole qualification, for a job in the public service.

Transparency of public business was lacking.

Recall, that in its last days in office the PNC regime began to privatise many state corporations. Those transactions were all done in the dark. Scandals followed all the privatisation deals e.g. with GT & T, Guyana Timbers, The Paint Factory, GBTI and many others. Not one of these was taken to the Parliament.

In these conditions it was almost impossible to attract investments.

With a non-performing economy, naturally, unemployment and under-employment grew. It affected some 50% of the population. Those that were lucky to have been employed, saw their incomes dwindle by massive devaluation of our currency and inflation reaching triple digits.

Between 1985 and 1992 workers real wages were slashed by some 50%.

It was therefore not surprising that poverty and extreme poverty grew sharply and it was all pervasive. In 1988, one survey showed that 65% of the population was living below the poverty line. By 1992, a survey by SIMAP found that figure had grown to more than 80%.

In those circumstances the migration of the population increased greatly. We were losing a substantial number of our human capital. Between 1980 and 1990 the population fell by 4.8%. According to statisticians, if one were to take into account a natural rate of increase of one per cent per year, this figure really represents a decline in the population of some 15%.

Comrades, we recall these things in a general way so that we can appreciate the difficult tasks we were faced with when we took the government in 1992. Our achievements, when viewed against the legacy of the deterioration, decline, stagnation we inherited, certainly, constitute an extra-ordinary feat of government.

Most Guyanese who left Guyana in the early 1990’s, or before, and returned to visit today express amazement at the developments they see all around them.

The PPP/Civic Government had to restore almost the total sea defence along the whole coast of Guyana and work are still continuing. This constant battle with the sea means heavy investments and constant vigilance of the sea defences but our geography requires this. Importantly, we have a government ready, as resources allow, to grapple with such a major project.

Hundreds of miles of roads have been constructed. For last year alone, 68 bridges and culverts were rehabilitated and 28 new structures constructed between Timehri and Mahaica. The road from Georgetown to Lethem, Madhia and other interior areas are steadily being upgraded. Moreover, comrades, Regions 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10 have all been linked by roads. Regions 1 and 2 are also now being linked by road as well.

Our electricity supply has been greatly improved with generating capacity increasing from 238 million kwh in 1992 to 512 million kwh. More and more new housing schemes and areas are being connected to the grid, while power cuts are becoming much less frequent. The steep rise in fuel prices, largely due to the Iraq war and Middle East instability, pose a threat to our power supply, but, thankfully, so far, the Government and the electricity company have managed to cushion its effect on Guyanese. But, with the depletion of the world’s oil resources, the threat of high fuel prices will continue to be with us and other non-oil producing countries in the foreseeable future.

Water delivery to people has improved by leaps and bounds. The sight of women and children pushing tanks of water on the roadway is now almost non-existent. On the coast and in the towns and in the near interior, people get water in their homes for the most part. Hundreds of wells and pumps have been sunk and miles of pipelines installed to provide people in the interior and coastal areas with potable water.

All of these developments, in addition to bringing greater comfort in people’s lives have also contributed to the turn-around we have made in the productive sectors of our economy.

Sugar production in 2004 was 325317 tons; rice production last year was 325592; bauxite production is also rising significantly.

In fact, comrades, developments in the bauxite sector is very encouraging. From a low point just a short while ago, it is taking on new life with promising and feasible possibilities. At Linmine, the company is being rebuilt from the bottom up. New products are being considered, such as molite. We are once more set on taking over the position of being the world’s leader in the production of high-grade bauxite. And, the resuscitation of the Alumina Plant is within sight.

The second largest aluminium company in the world is currently here doing feasibility studies to invest in our bauxite as well.

Many other sectors have been showing great promise.

In the case of poultry production, we are once more self-sufficient. Indeed, we are poised to export that product as well.

Marked growth has also occurred in various branches of agriculture, namely, fisheries, forestry and non-traditional products, where exports are showing pleasing prospects.

The revival of the economy is underway. And, consequently, the social sectors are striving. Our achievements in the sphere of education, health, housing etc., have been astounding.

When we took the government over in 1992, we found that the Ministry of Housing was scrapped. The PNC regime had given up on any housing programme though it had sloganeered that it would ‘feed, clothe and house’ the nation. Inevitably, the lack of a housing programme caused house rental to rise and illegal squatting became wide-spread.

It took the PPP/Civic government to take on the housing challenge frontally. Since 1992 the government distributed more than 60,000 house lots. Thousands of persons have the security and joy of owning their own homes. Many of the squatting schemes have been regularised and provided with water and electricity. Affordable loans due to the government’s intervention have allowed hundreds of poor families to build.

Developments in housing, coupled with investments in businesses, have resulted in a massive growth in the construction industry and this is contributing significantly to the economy of Guyana.

Our achievements in education have also been remarkable.

The number of students attending educational institutions has gone up significantly between 1990 and 2002, while the level of educational attainment has also increased dramatically. Over the period 1990 to 2002, the numbers of persons whose highest level of education was secondary schooling had increased from 169,243 to 310,897. Over the same period, the number of persons whose highest level of education was university/tertiary had increased from 6,217 to 22,967. At the same time comrades, a greater percentage of students have been passing CXC examinations even though the population that is writing has grown sharply. The PPP/Civic administration has built and rehabilitated more than eight hundred schools in all regions of Guyana. Training of teachers has increased and is on going, more than five thousand teachers have been trained since 1992. These measures have helped in achieving the gains that we have made in this sector.

The PPP/Civic administration has built hundreds of schools in all regions of Guyana, a few as in the case of Linden and N0. 63 Village, comparable to any found internationally. The construction of additional secondary schools in the interior regions speaks loudly of our commitment to education for all of Guyana’s children.

Training of teachers to service the school system have also increased and is on going and these are supplemented by overseas assistance in a number of key subject areas, including Science and Mathematics.

The strides in education are matched by our achievements in health.

The developments in health are equally impressive. Health conditions and facilities have improved dramatically from what they were in 1992. New hospitals and clinics, sorely needed by our people, have been constructed throughout the country. As a result, we have brought down infant mortality, maternal mortality and generally made health services available to almost the whole population. We share the joy of those hundreds of elderly citizens in Berbice who had their cataracts removed without any cost and have had their sight restored. We also share the joy of the additional hundreds who, in various communities have received spectacles free of cost.

Only recently the government of Cuba has agreed to take cases to Cuba that cannot be done here. Hundreds will benefit from this.

Here is another example of assistance without any conditions. The solidarity of the Cuban people is really phenomenal.

The acquisition of modern equipment, provision and purchasing of medical supplies, the training of doctors in Cuba and elsewhere, addressing the issues of nurses, all lift our confidence in the medical system and the direction charted by the government.

Most gratifying is the fact that we have taken thousands of people out of absolute poverty. The 1992 figure of more than 80% have climbed down steeply to about 35% today. This is a hard fight; it is ongoing. We need to build on the successes so far achieved, and it will take investments, fair trade arrangements, and creativity to score greater gains in the fight against poverty.

Comrades, our achievements are laudable. They were due to our collective efforts, to the steadfast support of our people in the period since 1992 and the leadership of the nation given by the PPP/C government.

However, we should not be blinded to the new and serious challenges which stand in the way of going forward or which threaten to reverse the gains that have been made.

You would have heard of the proposed cut in the price of sugar of some 40%. This is not just a threat to sugar but a measure that can affect our whole economy. While we will work with the rest of the ACP countries and friends in Europe to resist this draconian measure, any success in this regard will only amount to gaining time. Predictably, we will not be able to stop some cuts.

It means, therefore, that we will have to work doubly hard internally to create the conditions for our sugar industry not only to survive but to advance. In fact, we have already started this process.

Work has begun in modernising the sugar industry. The new factory at Skeldon will be one of the most modern in the world. It will be using new technologies to improve efficiency. However, the new factory at Skeldon is not envisaged as a mere producer of raw sugar; it is being seen as a new complex producing several by-products. It is intended that this complex will be involved in co-generation of electricity with the use of bagasse and a distillery will also be set up.

We will also have to examine the other estates to see whether and what new products could be added to enhance their viability.

In this regard we would like to address the workers in the sugar industry at this critical juncture.

In the history of national and working-class struggles of our country, the sugar workers have always played a central role. They have always been the most advanced contingents of the working people, always in the front ranks of the struggle for change, whether in the economic, social or political spheres.

Today, too, it is those same characteristics that we hope would contribute to save the industry. For, without the conscious efforts and sacrifices of the workers, the danger will certainly be increased. The struggle to save sugar require the combined efforts from all. It is incumbent that we do not lose sight of the fact that the most important task at this time is to secure sugar for now and for future generations. We also salute our farmers, for the phenomenal strides made in providing food for this nation and for exports thereby contributing greatly to our national economy.

Another serious impediment to further progress which has raised its head is the rising price of oil on the world market. Guyana, as you know, imports all the fuel that we consume for industrial, commercial and domestic use. Clearly, therefore, prices reaching US$60 a barrel will seriously affect us in every way. Already, oil is the single largest item that we import.

The prospects for the price of oil to fall back to the prices of a few years ago (i.e. US$10 per barrel, now US$60) is quite unlikely in the short or medium term. The oil companies have enormous influence in the corridors of power in Washington. They are reaping a windfall in super profits and not likely to be sympathetic to the hardship faced by the poor non-oil producing countries.

This means that we have to seek solutions to this problem outside of the customary means.

The prospective co-generation identified for Skeldon factory will save some funds in oil imports when it comes on stream. But, other energy sources must also be explored. Accordingly, there is need to accelerate feasibility studies on producing fuel alcohol from sugar cane. This is being done in several countries and should be investigated here as an alternative source which could reduce our costs for fuel and our reliance on the rapacious oil conglomerates of the world. Equally, we need to further examine other alternatives such as hydro-electricity and wind generation which also have potential for energy production and which we have used in a small way.

At this time, the brain drain is continuing and is affecting our progress particularly in the fields of education and health. Every year many of our qualified persons emigrate to new lands depriving us of much-needed capacity and skills.

Recruiters come here from the U.S. and other developed countries to lure away our trained and qualified personnel with lucrative offers. Thus, they deprive us of our human potential. With the ever-constant shortage of skills, over coming under-development will surely be affected. The state keeps training and we keep losing, often some of our best, to other countries.

This is a regional and even a global problem. It is and will not be easy to overcome, given the growing interconnection of countries. It is one, none-the-less that we cannot give up on. It requires our constant attention and a continuing search, perhaps with other countries, to find possible ways and means to stem this drain of our brains.

Recent years also saw attention being given to the dreaded HIV/AIDS pandemic and the upsurge of crime and violence. These problems are not easily tackled and their continuing existence threatens our peace of mind, our security and our development. We appreciate the efforts and measurers taken to stem the tide. They are bringing improvements but more must be done. The Caricom Heads of Government have recognised the rise of crime and violence in our midst. And, that recognition, hopefully, may lead to more effective policies to deal with what is a regional, indeed, global problem.

Continuous development of our country will pose many demands on our government, Party and people. Several main projects are already in train – the road to Lethem, a deep-water harbour and the bridging of the Berbice River, to identify a few. While we recognise that striving for development will go on now, and under all succeeding generations, we, our generation, has the historical task of building the foundations which we have been doing as shown from the progress made in the last ten {10} years. I can confidently say, we are up to the task. The PPP/C government has discharged its responsibilities to the Guyanese people; gave this nation able leadership and is pulling it out from the morass in which the PNC has sunk it.

But we still have much to do, a long way yet to travel. Cde Cheddi had emphasised the task ahead as follows:

“ Guyana needs a balanced and integrated Development Programme with a medium and long-term perspective, based on:

Good Governance – a clean and lean government - with equity;

Democracy in all its aspects – political, economic, industrial, social, cultural – and the empowerment of the people at all levels;

The fullest exercise of human rights;

A mixed economy with the private sector being the engine of growth;

Economic growth with social justice and ecological justice;

Balanced agricultural/industrial and rural/urban development;

An integrated programme of human resource development;

Multiculturalism – unity in diversity.

For developing countries like Guyana, an alternative path of development is necessary. The PPP maintains that social justice must prevail in the relationship between states and also within the national state.

The rebuilding of Guyana requires that all the human resources within the country be allowed to flourish and make their varied contributions.”

The journey we set out on may have setbacks. Our people, like others, have shown courage, resilience, grit and determination to go forward. These are the qualities that will ensure success in the future. We, as Party Members, must be in the forefront of the struggles and initiatives to build. This is our duty. And as we have overcome in the past, with the spirit of optimism and unity, we will again triumph in the future.

Political Situation

Comrades, since we last met on July 20 – 21, 2002 at Port Mourant, Corentyne, the political situation had moved in a spiral way. We experienced great ups and downs. However, despite the difficulties and complex developments our country has advanced further down the road of national democracy and inclusive governance.

It will be true to say that our struggle in this period began intensely, immediately at the conclusion of our 27th Congress.

Recall, that Rose Hall Town was the victim of a vicious attack by bandits. Many persons were killed and some businesses robbed. One of our delegates, Cde. Balram Kandhai lost his life in that assault.

That organised, seemingly centrally directed criminal violence, continued for almost one year until most of the February 23, 2002 jail breakers were killed by the security forces or in clashes with other gangs.

What was clear is that the PNC or elements of that Party were using the criminals to attempt to destabilise the government. In fact, we should remember that the then PNC leader Mr. Hoyte broke off talks with the President just when the crime wave started. As we have mentioned before, he and other leaders of the PNC frequented Buxton and urged that pressure be kept up until the government falls. This followed the earlier PNC line to ‘make the country ungovernable.’

After Mr. Hoyte’s death, Corbin became the leader of the PNC and continued the old policy. The PNC continued the boycott of Parliament and the criminals using Buxton as a base, were not condemned forthrightly. Instead, the PNC sought to heap criticisms and blame the government for the criminal activities rather than the criminals. The ventures of the criminals were rationalised and justified.

It was only when it became clear that the criminals were facing a battering and were on the decline that Mr. Corbin went to the table. However, from the outset it was clear that for him it was merely a tactical - and not a principled move.

Mr. Corbin admitted as much, as was reported in the press. He had mentioned that the PNC had its set backs, and it was necessary to change course.

The PNC’s leader had also been constantly expressing the intention to withdraw from the talks which were then going on between himself, and the President. In December of 2003, he threatened to break off the talks. Interestingly, the threat came around the time when normalcy was returning to the politics of the country, the economy beginning to bounce back, and the criminals on the retreat.

Mr. Corbin’s opportunity to break off the dialogue came when the discredited criminal, George Bacchus, in January 2004 made accusations against the Minister of Home Affairs, Ronald Gajraj stating that he had links with a “death squad.” The fact that the PNCR grasped at that “straw” was clearly an indication of their true intentions. They tried street protests, but it had little or no effect. A bomb was even thrown at the Ministry of Home Affairs in the campaign against the Minister.

Eventually, on the request of the Minister, an inquiry was held which exonerated Minister Gajraj. But, what came through in that period of intense criminal activities was the PNC’s readiness to embrace crime, and, once again, violence to achieve political ends. What is notable is the PNC’s and its frontline men choosing to lean against the crime-fighting forces rather than take a stand against the criminals. What cannot be ignored, too, is what can be seen as interference and disrespect for our institutions by external agencies.

One of the notable features of the PNC/R’s criticisms of the administration is their heavy reliance on race as a political tool. Without ever producing any evidence the PNC/R continue to make wild charges of racism. The Hoyte/Blackman T.V. station, Channel 9, seems to have specialised in that kind of propaganda.

The PNC/R must be worried about its waning influence among Afro-Guyanese that it so desperately tries to use race to hold on to its traditional support. It is also evident that the attacks on Indo-Guyanese, including the brutal criminal killings (as in Coldigen with the nine-year-old Christine Sookram) seemed designed to be provocative.

This tactic is reminiscent of the PNC’s tactics in the 1960s and the methods used to take the government in 1964.

At this time the PNC/R has been securing a lot of support from the ROAR. This is clear from the actions and statements from Mr. Ravi Dev both inside and outside Parliament. Some found it strange that Dev, who launched his political career as an Indian activist; who in 1997 criticised the PNC for the violence that they unleashed against Indians, could now be in bed with the PNC. He is today, parroting the PNC/R line regarding discrimination.

One of the experiences in politics is that extremes tend to meet. This unholy matrimony confirms this axiom. It also shows the opportunism of ROAR and its total lack of principle. Perhaps, moreso, his are the antics of the dying of an irrelevant and alien organism superimposed on our politics.

The WPA, too, seems to have drifted on the same course as the ROAR in supporting the PNC/R. This is unfortunate, as it is the Party to which the highly respected revolutionary and anti-racist, Dr. Walter Rodney, founded. It is unfortunate because the PNC must bear full responsibility for this assassination 25 years ago. Dr. Rodney has earned a stature among world progressive leaders that we all admire. The least we can do, today, is to recognise his contribution to the Guyanese people’s struggles and be true to his memory.

That is why we were unsupportive of the WPA’s move in Parliament to expunge from the PPP/C’s motion on Dr. Rodney to remove the word “assassinate” and from describing the PNC government as ‘authoritarian.’ This move, we gather, was to accommodate the PNC. But what a reversal! And what strange bedfellows!

It is no mystery that that Party has declined to almost nothing today. Again it shows a lack of principle and conviction.

Over the years, it is evident that the WPA has been going through some difficulties and which, no doubt, have influenced them in many ways. It is also evident that its alliance of convenience with GAP has not worked. Now, evidently, they are, more and more, finding common grounds with the PNC/R.

The GAP, which appeared during the previous national and regional elections, fell into complacency after the elections. Its promises to the Amerindian people were hardly pursued, giving them minimal representation, with its dismal performance over these four years, one is yet to see whether it will continue through the next elections.

Comrades, as we approach another general and regional elections, we see the sprouting of new political parties.

The most recent is the so-called “Third Force.” This group see as their main target the PPP. They have expressed openly their intention of working to bring the PPP/Civic votes below 50%. They then hope to form another coalition government as we had in 1964.

Let us not forget the manipulation of our politics at that time by external forces nor the consequences for this country. It led to the erosion of democracy and the establishment of an administrative dictatorship in our country. It was the reason that Guyana’s socio-economic conditions deteriorated from being the number one in the Caribbean in 1964 to being, together with Haiti, at the bottom of the ladder in 1992.

But who are the elements that comprise this “Third Force?” What new are they bringing to our body politic?

The answer is that this “Third Force” is not really new. It is the coming together of disparate, ambitious persons. There is Ramjattan. You will recall that his manoeuvres at our previous Congress were defeated but inspite of the democratic verdict of the Congress, he continued to attack the Party until we were forced to expel him from our ranks. Gravitating to the so-called ‘Third Force’ with the object of undermining a people oriented government which led the struggles of the working people of Guyana for over 50 years demonstrates Ramjattan’s political deterioration and calls into question his character and political integrity.

Then there is Mr. Rafael Trotman who, only recently, was a leader in the PNC/R and which he fiercely defended even when that Party was on the streets of Georgetown beating innocent people and burning business places. This is the same person who was yesterday attacking the police while they were fighting the criminals. Will the leopard really change its spots?

There is also Shelia Holder, from the WPA, who, it would appear is a political new comer and who, as she puts it, is attracted to youth and dreamers. This wish-wash of rejects coming from the different Parties with the primary aim of displacement of the PPP/C government doesn’t seem to offer much to the Guyanese people. The change that the Third Force wants will certainly not bring any benefits to our people but seem to be motivated more by egos and a desire to have power at all costs.

We have also heard Joey Jagan beating his political drums once again. He is exploiting his name to try to gain political mileage. He has nothing else in common with our late, great leader. From his statements, from time to time, it is clear that he is far removed from Cde. Cheddi ideologically, politically and as far as economic developmental strategies are concerned. His separation from the PPP/C struggles, only plays into the hands of the historical adversaries of the PPP and the PPP/C government. No wonder, at the PNC retreat in Linden, a couple of months ago, they floated the idea to encourage Joey Jagan and Sharma for their political ends.

Though a relative new comer to Guyanese politics and an occasional politician, objectively, he stands outside of the PPP and opposed to the PPP/C government. He, apparently, is driven by personal ambitions and this could very well lead him down wrong paths which he is already treading along. At the moment he is tarnishing the name, struggles, works and even the dreams of his parents Cdes. Cheddi and Janet Jagan. That heritage belongs to the PPP and the Guyanese working people. It is our duty to protect it and build upon it. We will not allow Joey Jagan to besmirch and destroy the names of our founders or degrade their contributions to both the PPP; and Guyana’s history.

Comrades, despite the difficult conditions we have had to work under, the Party’s achievement in government is tremendous.

In our approach, we are guided by the legacy of Cde Cheddi Jagan who declared:

“The PPP Civic Government is proceeding very much conscious of the need for strong policies and practices internally so as to manage efficiently the available resources. These policies and practices include an entrenched democratic culture, good governance, transparency and honesty in public administration, prudent financial husbandry, integrity in public life, justice and equity. Corruption, extravagance and lack of accountability, vices which characterized the past, will not be tolerated by the PPP-Civic administration – a policy which has won the confidence of the people.”

The institutions of the state are being strengthened and broader participation of people, including the opposition parties, have been moving forward, despite the baseless criticisms and non cooperation from the opposition and a section of the media.

Just to recall comrades, we have a new Constitution in which there was the broadest participation by all forces in the society at every stage of the process. Indeed, the former deputy Prime Minister in the PNC regime, Mr. Haslyn Parris headed the Secretariat of the Constitutional Reform Committee.

We had promised in 1980, at the time of the inauguration of the then “new Constitution,” that when we return to office we would remove the provision in that Constitution which made it impossible to impeach the President. We have done so.

Moreover, Comrades, Delegates and Observers, we have transformed the National Assembly. That institution that was emasculated under the PNC dictatorial rule has been re-established as the highest forum in our country. Four Standing Committees dealing with Economic Services, Social Services, Foreign Affairs and Natural Resources have all been established and are functioning.

These Commissions are composed from members of the National Assembly from all sides of the House. They have rotating Chairpersonship. These bodies have had Ministers of the government and senior staff from the Ministries before it to answer questions and explain policies of the government. They have also been making reports of their work to the full National Assembly

The Parliament too has established a Management Committee to look into issues related to all aspects of its work. The opposition is fully represented on this body.

Comrades, accountability, one of the pillars of good governance, has taken deep roots in our society. Since the PPP/Civic took office, the Auditor General’s Report has been presented to Parliament and made public every year, a marked difference from the PNC administration where such a report, for 10 years, was not presented.

Moreover, the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee has been functioning effectively. This body is chaired by a member of the Opposition. Here again, officials of the government have to give an account in front of this Committee.

The work of this body is contributing greatly to the improvement in accountability for government funds.

In the spirit of openness the doors of all the committees have been thrown open to the public and the press. Government business has truly become public business. We make bold to state that this is unprecedented in our region and compares favourably with any in the Commonwealth.

The PPP/Civic government has also moved to put opposition appointees to state boards. Here is our government being very inclusive. This has never happened before. We have also taken the lead in the Region in this regard.

Freedom of the press flourishes in our country. We have several TV Stations and newspapers all of which are able to go about their business unhindered.

However, we should be cautious as we note political leaders owning TV Stations and using them not as a means to inform and educate, but to carry a political line and to slander the government and the Party. Freedom of the Press cannot mean that persons have a licence to lie and to slander and to instigate racism and intolerance.

Comrades, our Party that has always been in the forefront of the struggle for good governance has encouraged the dialogue between the Government and the Opposition.

We have never been the ones to call off talks or to put them on pause or to misrepresent them.

Ahead of us are the upcoming general elections. We are probably less than a year away from this date. Already we see that parties are jostling to put in place the mechanisms to fight these elections.

Our Party, too, must be fully prepared to contest these elections and to win with a bigger majority than before. We can do this if all of us put our shoulders to the wheel.

Our confidence springs from our record in government. Since 1992 we have really made major advances in the socio-economic and political life of our country.

We have moved Guyana from being described as a Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPIC) to a Middle Income Developing Country. We have restored the economy to a viable level; we have restored the social and physical infrastructure and we have, most importantly, established democracy in our political life.

These are monumental achievements by any yardstick.

Coupled with this is the fact that we are constantly improving our alliances. Our relations with the TUF have improved and we are constantly in dialogue with political and social forces in our society.

At the level of the Elections Commission, we have been urging that the continuous registration which all agreed to, begin without delay.

It is clear that the opposition is trying to slow down the progress in this. We cannot rule out the possibility that the PNC/R in particular wants to create a crisis to find justification to unleash criminal violence in the country and to obtain power by other means.

We must not allow this to happen. We can stop them for our positions are not only correct but are based on the sound foundation of all the electoral experts that have examined our database and the electoral system.

We are not only technically correct, but also we stand on the moral high ground.

Let us work for another victory in elections that are certified free and fair.

The Challenges

Of course, comrades, we face some difficult challenges ahead of us that we have to overcome.

The opposition’s attack on us are based on the following: (a) race; (b) charges of corruption and (c) incompetence.

As for the last, that is easy to defeat. Just compare our record with that of the PNC’s twenty-eight years in office and we would see that it is the PNC/R that really governed incompetently. Just consider that in 1964 they took office when our country had the highest standard of living in the region. When they left office we were at the bottom of the ladder.

Our record in government both in 1957 to 1964 and from 1992 to the present shows that Guyana flourishes and advances whenever we are at the helm. We are builders! We have transformed our country and are taking it to new heights.

On the racial question, we have demonstrated by our actions that the charges are in fact, desperate attempts to prevent the tremendous work that our government has done countrywide from turning into political support for our Party.

On this score we must constantly work. In dealing with this issue Cde. Cheddi Jagan always urged that we neither under estimate nor over estimate the racial problem. He pointed out that: “Those who see only race/ethnicity in politics in Guyana, as others who see tribalism and religion in other countries, are not viewing reality comprehensively, objectively and scientifically. In Guyana, because of the strong foreign monopoly domination by the sugar plantocracy, the class struggle was more intense. And although the two major racial/ethnic groups are culturally different, they are not uni-class and class different as formerly the case in the colonial period in east Africa. Both groups are largely made up of working people. As such, the PPP/Civic, with its working class sympathies and policies oriented to material and cultural fulfilment, can lay the foundation for unity in diversity.”

Many experts have already pronounced that we really don’t have a deep problem here. The latest was Mr. Rolf Meyer from South Africa who stated this clearly at a workshop held by the UNDP for Political Parties on Conflict Transformation.

Before him the UN Rapporteur on Racial Equality visited Guyana on the request of the PPP/C Government. He too, concluded that our racial problems were not insurmountable.

Our record also shows that in every area we worked to solve people’s problems and to meet the needs of the communities.

In the same way that the opposition is fighting to use race to prevent the PPP from winning more multi-racial support, we must work even harder to win greater support among all ethnic segments of our society. Our Party is ever open to all Guyanese, despite ethnicity, colour, gender, age, status, who accept our programme and rules and are prepared to promote and defend them.

While we are doing so, presently there is need that we do so on a larger scale. We can achieve bigger results because the philosophy of our Party is one of building working class unity and national cohesion. Moreover, the good work done by the PPP/C government has created the conditions conducive to greater successes. The Party members must, therefore, seize the opportunity of the moment and take the initiatives to expand our ranks and forge national unity.

The charges of corruption have to be dealt with as well.

While the leadership of the Government is clean and the charges directed at it are motivated by a desire to tarnish our image, it is also true that at some levels of the government, in the revenue areas (customs), in the contractual jobs executed, that this problem exists.

Most of these attitudes developed during the harsh days of PNC rule. At that time corruption became entrenched. It was defended at the highest levels and therefore took roots. It also flourished under the PNC because they deliberately destroyed all the mechanisms for transparency and accountability. The PNC bureaucratic, capitalist elite used the state as an instrument of enrichment.

So deep was this problem under the PNC regime that the “New Nation” (The PNC official Organ) on February 2, 1982 was forced to admit that the problem was overwhelming. It stated “… Corruption is eating like cancer into the sinews of our society … black-marketing, smuggling and open peddling of contraband goods are afflicting us …”

Needless to say, the PNC regime was unable to stop this. Instead, the situation got increasingly worse. It was that condition that the PPP/Civic inherited. From the inception we knew that the battle could not be won by policing methods alone. The PPP/Civic introduced and now has institutionalised openness and accountability into our public life and that is having an impact, even though slowly.

It is our view that more needs to be done at the level of law enforcement and in our courts. At the moment, the police are investigating several cases of fraud. However, it takes too long to do that; most of the time the culprits escape or the cases are just forgotten. The same happens when these cases reach the Courts.

Corruption goes contrary to our principles and our interests. It gives us, undeservedly, a bad name. It dampens people’s initiative and has a tendency to be contagious. Thus, from the forum of this Congress we urge all Party members to fight corruption at all levels. We urge government to consider the establishment of a special court to deal with corruption.

The need to ensure that our public life is clean and that our people are safe from greedy criminals must be tackled firmly and consistently.

THE PARTY

Comrades, our Party can be proud of the fact that throughout the years since it was formed it played a leading role in our country. We have fought for fundamental human rights and the right to vote, for freedom of speech, independence and democracy. We have fought, in and out of government, for the improvement of our working peoples lives. We see ourselves as a contingent of progressive humanity, committed to a world of peace, justice and social progress. We strive to be faithful to the rich traditions of humankind who aspire to and still are fighting for a better world.

During the post-independence period we were always in the forefront in the battle for democracy, of which free and fair elections are at the heart.

We are also proud of the fact that the two periods that saw the most all-round development in Guyana 1957 – 1964 and 1992 to the present, were both periods when the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was in government. This clearly shows that the PPP is an organisation of builders and developers. This is no doubt due to the quality of our early leadership of Cdes. Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Ramkarran, E. M. G. Wilson, B. H. Benn, C. R. Jacob, C.V Nunes, to name a few stalwarts.

However, comrades, while we look back at our past with pride let us not allow the glorious past to lull us into complacency. Instead, we must use it as an inspiration to reach greater heights and to finding creative ways to deal with our present problems while keeping our focus on our immediate and long term objectives.

At our 25th Congress held in 1994, the last Congress that Cde. Cheddi attended, he urged us to “… develop an elastic balance between conformation and transformation …”

There is no doubt that we have transformed our society in many fundamental ways. However, we still have a long way to go towards ending poverty, creating more employment and in strengthening our economy to make it immune from external pressures and consolidating further our political democracy.

To do so, our Party will have to build greater links within the community. While pursuing and defending the interests of the working people, including the farming community, we must not forget to work with the local private sector as well.

We must remember that our local private sector is relatively weak, and in the globalised world in which we live, they would find it extremely difficult to compete with much stronger competitors, the giant monopolies from outside.

We must therefore be sensitive to their needs and, wherever possible, offer them protection.

This is in keeping with our manifesto promises since 1992 which advocated that we work towards building partnership with the main social forces in our country without allowing domination of any at this stage.

At the political and governmental levels, the decision taken by the Party to broaden its support base by bringing in members of the Civic component has paid dividends. The partnership with its Civic members has become stronger over the years. This is one example of an inclusive and participatory mechanism that has worked well. We must continue our efforts to strengthen this alliance and cement the relationships that have been forged over the years.

Cde Cheddi reminded us of the importance of this alliance when he said:

“This PPP/Civic unity provides for racial/ethnic and class balance, along with ideological pluralism, in a National Democratic State. The PPP/Civic alliance, representing all classes and strata, creates the basis for a government of national unity…. The basis for national unity developed by the PPP/Civic alliance can be further strengthened by a direct involvement of the other political parties.”

PARTY ORGANISATION AND MEMBERSHIP

We meet today at our Congress, the highest forum in our Party’s organisational structure. Here are gathered delegates and observers from our Party Groups that exist throughout the country and coming from every region of our land. Our Congress, as always, is a celebration of democracy as it provides our Party’s membership with a forum to decide policies and elect the Party’s Central Committee.

And, our democratic character is not only expressed or limited to our Congress; democratic norms run throughout the Party structure right down to our Groups and informs our method of work, deliberations and decision-making.

Our Party is 55 years old. From 1992, we contested three four General and Regional Elections and won them all. In this year we would have completed 13 years as the PPP/C government of Guyana. These are no ordinary achievements. These are the shining accomplishments, primarily, of our hard-working membership, able and united leadership, and, most of all, our strong, yet adaptable Party organisation.

The Party’s organisation has been severely tested in many ways and at various times. It survived heavy repression in the colonial era and under the PNC administration. On occasions, it was even forced to function semi-clandestinely. When our leaders were imprisoned or detained, the organisation did not wilt. It stood up in times of riots and other violent provocations. In the struggle for democracy, the organisation assured our leading role. And in our last three elections, it was the Party’s organisational machinery that saw us through the different stages to victory.

Looking backwards over 5 decades, it is clear that the Party travelled long stretches of a rocky road; it weathered many a storm. Its survival, resilience, buoyancy, strength and triumphs are largely because its organisation rests on the principles of Democratic Centralism. Some of our antagonists speak disparagingly and heap ridicule on those principles in their bid to weaken and reduce the Party’s effectiveness. Likewise, several of the Party’s detractors, fulfilling a strange agenda, have also been prompted to join in those futile attacks.

Comrades will recall Ramjattan’s bid, together with a misguided few, at our last Congress when a brazen attempt was made to separate democratic centralism from the Party. This was a clear and calculated move to change the character of the PPP, uproot it from its historical base and rid it of its class and philosophical orientation. Congress, overwhelmingly and democratically, defeated that attempt. However, abiding lessons must not be missed from that experience. It taught us that the Party’s enemy can appear in many guises, lurks unnoticeably outside of our ranks and even within, strikes in any circumstance. Given such real possibilities, our duty as Party members is abundantly clear. We must continue to build a fighting Party even as we construct our country, and always be prepared, as disciplined members, to meet any eventuality whenever it should arise.

On the ground, the Party’s organisation continues to grow. New members are coming and our primary units – Party Groups – are appearing in some areas where none existed before. Political/Party work among our members at the Group level, particularly for our new Groups need to be on-going and intensified.

Lifting our members’ political/ideological awareness, inculcating in them the Party spirit, making them knowledgeable of the Party’s political line and the PPP/C government’s policies, promoting a scientific and internationalist outlook, training of members to take on a leadership role in the Party’s and state structure are Party tasks which are and must be continuous. To get these tasks done will require planning, programming and initiative from those department charged with the responsibility as well as from the District, Regional and Central Committees.

For a working people’s Party as ours is, we must take our membership seriously. It carries obligations, it demands discipline, it requires our readiness to promote the Party’s programme and defend the Party at all times; it means to carry out our Party assignments and carry forward the Party among the masses; our duty is to represent and defend the Guyanese working people and enhance the Party’s prestige among the people. Party membership indicates that a comrade has taken a conscious decision to become involved at a high level of struggle – the political level. At this political level, the fundamental question to be determined is the question of power. When it should pass into our hands, our duty is to hold it. One thing must be abundantly clear though: we seek political power not for power’s sake but as the vehicle to take our country along the path of social progress, to work in a democratic way with the people to attain social and economic justice.

Party life is rich. It involves a wide range of different activities. Essentially, it entails working among people – workers, farmers, women, youth, professionals, businessmen, the petty-bourgeois and intelligentsia. Rather than individualism, it requires a collective approach to our work and in making decisions.

EDUCATIONAL WORK

Among our varied activities, we place a high value on educational work. In our dynamic and fast-moving times, education work for our Party has grown in importance. There is much that is new in our day. We need to analyse them and see how they will help or hinder our way forward. We need to take them into account as we elaborate our tactics and strategy to the future.

A big part of our educational activities must necessarily be devoted to Party development, membership development and dissemination of political education to all sectors of the Guyanese people. Many ideas abound in our society, apart from the world, now-a-days. Some, obviously, are worthwhile, many of these however, are distracting and confusing, other are half-baked or hate-filled. Our educational work must seek to bring clarity to these while simultaneously, seeking to support the political and government objectives presently on hand. Importantly, work in this field, cannot ignore harmful tendencies that are emerging in our midst and, which, if unattended, can very well divert us from our steady march to our goals. All this means, however one looks at it, that the Party must be engaged in educational/ideological struggle in a considered, understandable and bold way.

The climate for this work is indeed stormy, but, at the same time, it offers many opportunities. We must take advantage of them. The false ideologies that pervade the airwaves and sections of the media are not taking hold of the peoples minds as they are intended to. In fact, they are disintegrating before the realities of life. Our beliefs, scientifically based and starting out from objective reality have every possibility to triumph over the backward views and delusional ideas, parroted somewhat locally, emanating from the apologists and ideologists of ruling elites.

In pursuit of our educational work we must use those tried methods and be innovative as well. Seminars, discussion groups, talks, self-study, correspondence courses, Accrabre/resident courses, utilisation of Party publications, acquiring/reading progressive literature are all methods our members, Groups and Education Committee could use. Over the past 2 years, some 300 of our mainly young comrades at different locations attended short programmes sponsored by the Education Committee. A Reading/Research Library has been set up at Freedom House and is steadily expanding. Soon, it is our intention to begin construction of the Party School.

The Party’s education committee has shown signs of revitalisation. There is need and the time has come to exert even greater energy in this aspect of Party work. It is high time for our members and structure, at every level, to be aroused from our educational/ideological slumber and get down to work in this field. After all, we should be mindful of the words of Karl Marx, that great theoretician, revolutionary and leader of the international working class when he stated, in effect, that ideas, when they grip the masses, are transformed into a material force.

International Work of the Party

Comrades, since our last Congress our international work has greatly improved. The International Committee of the Party meets regularly and many subjects relating to the international situation are discussed with a view of guiding the Party.

We have held many public meetings to discuss topical international events. The situation in the Middle East has, naturally, occupied our attention and was the subject of several public discussions. We will continue with this practice in the coming years.

The Party also sent three delegations to the People’s Republic of China since our last Congress. The reports which we received from those visits were very positive. Our comrades expressed their great admiration at the rapid social and economic growth taking place in the People’s Republic of China.

The Party also attended the Convention of the Democratic Party of the U.S. in 2004. It was a good experience and offered the opportunity to observe the political struggles in the United States at close range and to make useful political contacts.

We also sent solidarity messages to the Congresses and other events of fraternal Parties around the world. Through the use of new technologies we were able to maintain and develop contacts with other movements in the international community. Soon, we will establish an international institute of our Party.

At the Regional level, the Party sent foodstuff to our comrades in Grenada after the destruction caused by hurricane Ivan.

Comrades, the most important recognition of our Party’s international work came with the posthumous award to Cde. Cheddi Jagan of the Order of the Companion of O.R. Tambo (Gold). This is the highest award by the South African government to a foreign national.

Cde. Cheddi’s and the PPP’s contribution to the fight against apartheid was given the highest recognition.

While in South Africa to accept the Award the Party’s General Secretary renewed contact with the African National Congress and the South African Communist Party.

Comrades, another important aspects of our international activities is our work with the Guyanese Diaspora. To this end Congress recognises the tremendous work being done by our support groups overseas.

Special attention must be made of the ACG USA; ACG Canada and the PPP UK Branch. These organisations have done a tremendous amount of political work among the Guyanese community in those countries. In these times of globalisation, such work is of great importance to us.

But more than just the political work these organisations have made and continue to make significant material contributions to our Party, including to this Congress.

We are thankful that our Comrades have dedicated themselves to the Party and country as we struggle to advance Guyana’s interests on all fronts.

Comrades, while we have improved our international work since 27th Congress, it is also true to say that we have a lot of room for improvement.

We must be able to travel more often to events of our fraternal friends abroad. We have to overcome the constraints of funds to be able to give solidarity to people’s struggles around the world.

We must also step up our political work in our immediate neighbours and the Guyanese community resident there.

At home we have to work with other democratic forces to re-establish or resuscitate Peace and Solidarity organisations.

From all indications the PNC has stepped up its work overseas. We must consistently repudiate and expose the lies and disinformation the PNC is peddling abroad about Guyana. In this regard our overseas groups must be very vigilant.

In the U.S. and Canada we would like to urge our comrades to reach out to other parts of those countries where Guyanese form a significant part of the communities and to help organise them.

We must continue to foster and promote International Solidarity with struggling peoples in all parts of the world. This is a duty that we must always fulfil.

Party Work Among the Masses

The PPP is today a mass-based Party. This is a distinguishing characteristic of our Party since early times. Our electoral victories in ’92 and since confirm the deep roots and influence our Party enjoys among the working people. Our popularity has sound bases. It shows our links to the people which we have always sought to maintain over the years.

Our connection with the Guyanese masses is an indispensable aspect of Party life. To articulate and represent their interests, to champion their causes, to work and struggle alongside them for betterment to their working and living conditions, to guide them towards attaining political goals are, in the final analysis, what the People’s Progressive Party is all about. Thus, it is incumbent that every Party member considers it his/her duty to always work among the people and carry-forward the Party’s policies and positions to them. This is our best insurance for successes in attaining our objectives, it is the guarantee of our future.

Reluctance to work among the masses and elitist attitudes shown by some comrades, go against the grain of the Party spirit. Failure to work at this level will present a myriad of difficulties for us. For one, we will have left a vacuum that so many false prophets, lurking in the shadows, are ready to fill. We cannot be unmindful of the mushrooming in recent times of several groups and individuals each peddling their brands of ideology or peddling ideas which sow confusion in the masses. In such conditions our task is obvious; we must redouble our own work in the masses. We abandon or shy away from it to our detriment.

Working among the people inevitably entails working in their mass organisations – trade unions, farmers’ bodies, cultural, professional, youth, women, communities, sports etc. We must increasingly focus on this dimension of our work. It is an expectation that members and supporters belonging to mass organisations will uphold the image and policies of the Party in those organisations. It is critical that we never tire of striving to bring to bear our influence in the mass organisations within our society. Again, we cannot afford to leave the field to be overrun by persons who have agendas, sometimes hidden, and who can manipulate those organisations for nefarious political ends.

Though mass organisations, as a rule, concern themselves with economic or immediate interests, we have always seen these as important in mobilisational and organisational terms. They bring together people with common goals and aspirations and they struggle around these. Our Party cannot isolate itself from these struggles, especially of the working people, but, we recognise, however, that beyond this primary form of struggle is the highest, political form.

How important it is for us to be and work among the people is evidenced by certain recent developments. Reference is made here to the spontaneous actions by residents taken at several locations in our country. This is a development that needs full examination. It is a reminder that comrades and especially our Groups must be ever vigilant of what transpires in their communities. No doubt, there are those ready to seize on any discontent to spread discord and create outbursts which can sometimes turn into ugly scenes.

Such agitation and actions are directed at the government and stem from one dissatisfaction or another. A spark can result in a fire and there are several within our society ready to fan the flames and stoke a fire. Issues must be addressed or we must be ready to give explanation why they cannot be. The PPP/C government and the Party machinery must work in collaboration to address such questions that breed discontent and provide a lever in the hands of our adversaries and those agitators willing to mislead people down paths of irrational behaviour and actions which are unlawful. Party members cannot fail to see the inherent dangers of such spontaneity. Party members, while exposing the misleaders, must also be able to offer guidance in times of people’s discontent and our Groups must be alive to, and aware of, any restiveness in their communities.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Integral to our political and educational work is the extent to which we come across not only to our membership but also to the Guyanese society as a whole. We must be able to reach out with our message, our plans, programmes and policies in a manner that exudes trust and confidence in the society at large. As the ruling party, whatever decisions and actions we take affects not only our membership but also the wider society.

In this regard, the publication and distribution of Thunder, the theoretical arm of the Party, must be intensified and done on a more consistent manner. It is the responsibility of all Party members to ensure that the Mirror newspaper reaches out to a much bigger audience. The Mirror, until this day, is the only newspaper that represents the Party and Government’s position in an objective and unbiased manner. The tendency to sensationalize and distort issues has now become commonplace among sections of the print and electronic media and must be countered.

As a responsible Party, we must be concerned about our image, especially in these times when attempts are being made to vilify our Party and besmirch our leaders and distort what as Party we are seeking to achieve.

Women and Youth Sections

The struggles and successes of the Party are also those of the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) and the Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO). As sections of the Party they do not function outside of the Party but, indeed, they are always alongside us in good or difficult times. They have written their own rich chapters in our history. Their members are making worthy contributions at the various levels of the state structure. Our Congress should recognise their past and present contributions and, more importantly, encourage them to continue and persist in their specific tasks on behalf of women and youth.

Both organisations, although integrally linked to the PPP, carry out their individual responsibilities – the WPO works among women and the PYO works among the various youth strata. Women and youth are large segments of our population, and the fact they have their own organisational structures, leadership and constitution indicates the importance the Party places in them. And, though they have particular interests, each elaborating and implementing their own work programmes, they also have certain common characteristics. Essentially, they are both national and political and this makes them different from many of the women and youth organisation within our society.

Following our previous Congress these fraternal sections have been engaged in several activities, assisting the Party, involving women and youth in education and training programmes, in the Party’s flood relief efforts, among many others. Because both organisations have a special place in the Party’s structure and play a big role in Guyanese society, the Party sees the need for both to intensify the work in the coming period. Much in terms of women and youth mobilisation must be done. The WPO and PYO, we can be sure, are ready to throw in their lot in the big electoral struggle ahead. They must be prepared for this.

On the other hand the Party must show greater interest in their consistent development. We should not lose sight of the fact that their advances, growth, strength and successes are also the Party’s. We have, therefore, a duty to give them every support and guidance without interference. Party members and organisers can make a marked differenced if they are to set up WPO and PYO Groups in every community and to assist the WPO and PYO leadership to see that the Groups regularly meet. Educational work and involving their members in activities of various types should be promoted as they prevent stagnation and paralysis in their organisation.

Like the Party they, too, are working in changed social and political circumstances. New issues pertaining to women and youth are emerging both nationally and beyond our borders. These will demand a refreshing approach and creative engagement from the two sections. Our sections must also reach out to wider segments of the women and youth population and make their organisations truly mass organisations.

We cannot ignore the fact that the Party relies on these organisations to replenish its ranks. Their leadership should always remember that such an expectation places a heavy responsibility on their shoulders. And, the Party in turn, sees that expectation as placing a responsibility on ourselves to see that the WPO and PYO function properly, grow from strength to strength, and that the quality of their general performance steadily improves.

Crime and Security

Comrades one of the most important issues facing us are the question of security. The violence unleashed by the criminals is a cause for concern of the Party.

While we appreciate the efforts of the government in giving increased resources to the police, it is clear that as a Party we will have to do our part.

It is important that we help to organise Community Policing Groups in all locations to help to protect the communities from violent crimes.

At the same time the Party Groups and all members should keep their eyes wide open and their ears on the ground. In a word we must all increase our security consciousness as we join the anti-crime fight in this country.

This is a very important and immediate task of all Party bodies.

The Road Ahead

Congress will have the opportunity at Workshop sessions to discuss the Party and how to enhance its many-sided work. We must take the opportunity to discuss the Party’s role in today’s dynamic international situation and in the changes – political, social and security – that are taking place nationally.

Our relationship with the Civic component of the PPP/C government have been beneficial not only in terms of our willingness to be inclusive but also in terms of governance and in pursuit of National Democratic goals at this stage of Guyana’s development. Following the last elections, relations with the T.U.F. deepened and this also proved positive. In light of these experiences, we may want to again discuss these matters but in the wider context of an alliance policy and with our focus on our commitment to national unity. After over a decade in government we now have a number of comrades who are more knowledgeable in the art of government. While this is good, we never-the-less may want to discuss how we see the role of members in the government and state structure and how to develop better cooperative relationships between government and the Party. We must take into account that these two entities arrive at decisions differently as the government must often times take into consideration issues and factors, which may not necessarily be in the PPP’s perspective. No doubt, this is a question that is complicated but the existing conditions demand that we give attention to it. Given that not every issue before the government can be put on the table, one possible way to build on our relationship is to promote a culture of frequent discussions of the two at various levels wherever possible.

The political climate is undergoing some changes. There is the issue of the so-called ‘Third Force’ attracting those individuals who have previously failed in their political ambitions. There is a growing view that this “Third Force’ enjoys foreign sponsorship. The PNC on the other hand, seems to be driven by desperation clutching at every straw blowing its way. It is showing, on some matters, a high level of political opportunism – internationally and locally. While it presents itself as a Party concerned with development, its tactics are clearly obstructionist and un-cooperative as opportunities present themselves. Other Parties may, in all likelihood, fade into oblivion and others may mushroom. The WPA, it seems, is searching for a place to nest, at what expense will be made clear in time. These developments suggest a realignment of forces that necessitates a response from us and the elaboration of tactics to guide our approach and our political work. Complacency is out of the question; so, also is over-confidence. In tackling afresh the emerging political circumstances, several favourable factors are on hand, among which are our proud record in government and our mass support and sympathy, which, in certain areas are, indeed growing.

Months from now, we must, once more, face national and regional elections. Once more, our sights must be focused on victory. But victory has been and will be the result of hard work, a strong Party and electioneering machinery, raising of adequate funds, unity of our ranks and recruiting and preparing thousands of activists working prior and during the elections. As we saw in the previous elections, we will need to be alert to any designs or trickiness, which may be in the making. Our watchwords must be: EVERY VOTE COUNTS. Our aim must be to score a bigger victory at the National and Regional levels.

As our achievements expand, so too, the expectations and demands of the people grow. One development stimulates the demand for others. In truth, this is the exciting process of development triggered off by the PPP/C government. This is seen in all areas of our social endeavours. Our society has been transported into one massive construction site. Growth, both in quantity and quality, is taking place everywhere. This is our job as the PPP/C government and we must continue on this course. At the Party level every support must be given to these constructive efforts. One form must be to see, but not interfere, that plans are fulfilled, that works are not shoddy and in keeping with specifications, and corrupt practices are non-existent. At the government level, it is important that it continues to keep promises made and be careful of over-extension. In some areas, we can easily be tempted to bite more than we can chew, in which case we can get counter productive returns. Let us be realistic and let us not throw caution to the wind.

The illegal and unjustified war in Iraq is now affecting all peoples the world over in many ways. Most directly, for us, it has resulted in rising fuel prices. Such steep rise, inevitably, will impact on electricity supply, transportation and the cost-of-living. To its credit, the government has sought to cushion its effects so far and explored in neighbouring Venezuela more favourable arrangements than presently exists. But, the problem looms large and, there is a limit on how far resources will allow the government to go. The Party needs to recognise the possible effects of the fuel crisis and be able to advance the strategy to off set the problem and see us through this phase with the least pain. We should expect that our political adversaries will seek to gain mileage from this problem. From how things look, energy, critical to development and people’s welfare, is going to pose an even greater difficulty for those countries not blessed with oil. Apart, from the immediate measurers, therefore, our collective efforts will be necessary to grapple with the long-term challenges that are ahead. We should begin to discuss this problem publicly.

Since the declaration by President Bush about his global war on terror (GWOT), acts of terrorism, ironically, have increased. Never-the-less, that declaration has placed the question of security at the top of the world’s agenda. One should expect that it will be tied to all manner of relationships. As we go along what it will entail and mean for countries like Guyana will become clearer. So, far, the indications are not heartening. The changes set in motion since may not rebound to our interest. The Party must necessarily take note of these and not ignore the fact that there could very well be changed conditions in which we must work and struggle. Several questions have consequently arisen; we must ponder on the possibilities ahead and what tasks that could well follow mindful of our commitment to peace, justice, and progress.

Challenging as the road ahead seems, we must stride forward with optimism. We are a Party that holds dear to principles and we must confront issues and our tomorrows in a principled way. Historically, we have found strategies to overcome knotty problems by relying on the working people and placing trust in them; we must be ready to continue along this path. The PPP sees itself as part of progressive humanity believing that the challenges before us are not or will be unique to Guyana but faced by other peoples world-wide. Accordingly, we see that confronting challenges is a global endeavour.

In the end, working assiduously and in a considered way, we will certainly overcome and be better set on the road to development and social progress – a better and brighter future. We move on with great confidence and determination guided by the call in our Manifesto for the elections in 1992 by our dear Great Leader Cheddi Jagan to all Guyanese that “now is the time when we must all give a little more for our Freedom; we must care a little more for our People; we must sacrifice a little more for the greater good of our Nation and her future.”

Conclusion

Comrades, thirty-five years ago when we came here we laid the foundations for returning to government in 1992. The decisions taken at that Congress were fully implemented and helpful to strengthen the Party and steel it in struggle.

Today, too, comrades this Congress, I believe, will also enter our annals as an historic one. We are adopting a new programme in which we will chart a path for Guyana’s future development.

In approximately one year, we will face the electorate once more. This is an election that we have to win in order to continue the progress that was made over the last thirteen years.

All of us will have to put our shoulders to the wheel and we will have to work with all our strength to ensure another PPP/Civic victory.

This demands of us to further strengthen our Party, to instil greater discipline in our ranks to ensure success.

Let us all work to strengthen national unity, expand democracy and social progress.

LONG LIVE THE PEOPLE’S PROGRESSIVE PARTY!

LONG LIVE THE PPP/CIVIC GOVERNMENT!

LONG LIVE THE FRATERNAL UNITY OF THE PPP, PYO, WPO!

LONG LIVE CDE. CHEDDI JAGAN!

LONG LIVE INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY!

LONG LIVE THE GUYANESE PEOPLE!