By Tota C. Mangar

COLONIAL British Guiana had, by 1950, witnessed an intensification of constitutional and political struggle aimed at ensuring a greater measure of democracy and the attainment of internal self-government. In particular, the bauxite and sugar workers’ strikes of 1947 and 1948 had provided significant political exposure and organisational experience for the Political Affairs Committee (PAC).

This PAC had widened its range of membership and had streamlined its organisational capacity by 1949. As a consequence, it had awakened considerable political consciousness among the working people. So, increasingly, it began to consider with greater seriousness the formation of a political party to champion the cause of the unrepresented masses.

Another significant development was the return to the colony of Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham, after successfully completing his law studies in England. While abroad, Burnham had served as President of the West Indian Students Union, and as a vocal member of the British Communist Party. The PAC felt that, with his oratory charisma and leadership qualities, he would be an asset to a multi-ethnic party and to multiracial unity. So, in late 1949, Burnham journeyed to Jamaica to familiarise himself with the constitution, organization, structure and popular functioning of the People’s National Party (PNP). The aim was to adopt some of its key elements by the soon-to-be-launched local mass-based party.

Eventually, the PAC dissolved itself and formally announced the establishment of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), on January 1, 1950, with its headquarters at Dr. Jagan’s Dental Surgery at 199 Charlotte Street, Georgetown. The Leader was Cheddi Jagan, the Chairman; Forbes Burnham, and the General Secretary was Janet Jagan.

The initial issue of the Party’s organ, Thunder, published to coincide with the Party’s launch, emphasized the need for self-government, economic development, and the creation of a socialist society. It also pledged to win political independence for Guiana.

With establishment of this political organization, it was pellucidly clear that the struggle to bring an end to colonialism had entered a new and decisive stage in British Guiana.

From the inception, the conservative press, influenced no doubt by the pro-socialist sentiments and anti-colonial policies espoused by Jagan and Burnham, labelled the Party as communist. Nevertheless, under leadership of Jagan and Burnham, the PPP mustered a formidable group of political aspirants who were all intensely committed to the anti-colonial struggle.

Apart from the PPP, there were five other parties campaigning for the 1953 General Elections under the new constitution. These were the National Democratic Party (NDP), The Peoples National Party (PNP), The United Farmers and Workers Party (UFWP), The United Guyanese Party (UGP), and the Guyanese National Party (GNP).

The NDP had the most experienced candidates, as several of them had served in the old legislature and in the Executive Council. The NDP was closely allied to the League of Coloured People, and appealed to urban sentiments. The PNP had splintered from the NDP as the Independent Socialist in 1952, and then announced, in February 1953, that it would contest the elections as PNP.

The GNP was perhaps the most unusual of the parties in the 1953 elections. While members campaigned as a party they contested seats as independents, the UFWP was formed in September, 1952, and it fielded just three candidates.

The extension of the franchised under the new constitution produced a list of 205,296 registered voters in the 24 constituencies, and from all accounts, the election campaign was characterised by unprecedented enthusiasm countrywide. At the same time, the Christian Social Council, representing Anglican, Roman Catholic, Church of Scotland, Methodist, Congregational, Lutheran, Moravian, and Canadian Presbyterian bodies, adopted an anti-PPP stance largely because of its anti-colonial militancy.

The Editorial of the Sunday Chronicle of April 5, 1953 was emphatic when it called upon all loyal Guyanese to vote for the candidates who are determined to eliminate reactionaries, Communists, self-seekers, agitators, parasites, and politicians of the baser sort.

There was a relatively high voter turnout, as 74.8 per cent cast their ballots, and to the surprise of many, and utter dismay of quite a few, the PPP secured a convincing victory, winning 18 of the 24 seats. There was much rejoicing countrywide, but Mr. Burnham, in his victory speech, signalled the way forward. He noted that this achievement can hardly be called the end of the beginning.

“We are still a colonial people. We are still shackled by our Colonial chains…our ultimate aim is to usher in self-government and independence,” he said.

First there was the development of a popular consciousness, then there was the nationalist militancy; and with this emphatic victory, the people had secured fulsome political leverage.