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Reply to "Burnham fought inequality, poverty and illiteracy."

Gilbakka posted:

This painting is a distortion of Forbes Burnham's real face. At this rate, 32 years from now the artist's memory would have dimmed further and he might draw Burnham to look like Cuffy.

Now, to the meat of the matter. When Burnham was Head of Government I was a PPP member. In 1977 Party Leader Cheddi Jagan wanted a National Patriotic Front Government with Burnham's PNC. His overture was rebuffed. In 1985 Jagan and Burnham were holding talks for a National Unity Government of the PPP+PNC. Burnham died midway and his successor Desmond Hoyte killed the project.

Obviously, Jagan saw some virtues in Burnham and vice versa. Gilbakka sees some virtues in both Burnham and Jagan. True, both had flaws but they were products of their era.

According to one newspaper report, President Granger said yesterday that the State will henceforward finance the commemoration of death anniversaries of ALL Guyana's presidents. That is a good thing.  

Since 1961 Dr.Jagan invited Mr.Burnham and the PNC to join him and the PPP in some form of power sharing but this was ignoired by the PNC leadership which was already in negotiating with external forces to remove the PPP. Dr.Jagan was consistent in his efforts to foster unity and eventually in 1985 a formula was worked out for a power sharing arrangement. Some members of the inter party committee which brokered the proposed arrangement are still alive and can reached for clarification on this. It was agreed  that after the 1985 PPP congress an announcement would have been made however Burnham died before this coulld happen . In the meantime Hoyte scuttled the plans after his return from a trip to the USA.

 

comrade
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