THE WPA no longer enjoys the support it used to enjoy during the Burnham era. I must admit that the WPA was a focused unit during those times but they were intimidated and battered into submission by the powers that be. Though the WPA enjoyed popular support from the masses during that time, their leadership failed to strategically maximize on that support to secure a tactical political base. The WPA’s leadership appeared strong but in reality it was a group flirting in uncharted political waters which later proved to be detrimental for their survival. Their political intelligence was zero and that enhanced the PNC’s infiltration to their highest forum, unchallenged.
Today, the WPA after many attempts to be recognized as a sabre for the working class in Guyana stands staggering, badly wounded but not willing to die without their last fight. WPA holds to bosom that Walter Rodney was assassinated by the PNC. So badly are they wounded that shock and disorientation has stepped in and now they are going  to sleep with the enemy in a so-called ‘JOPP’, thinking they can garner lost political opportunities. Some advice to them – even when a tiger gets old it does not lose its stripes.
Our historical voting patterns do not show any signs that a ‘JOPP’ has the capacity or the capability of shattering the PPP’s political base, even if the current ‘JOPP’ was to somehow influence the AFC. Totalled, they are well below the required poll support to make a difference and their dependence on crossover votes is an illusion. If we reflect on Guyana’s last four election results which in summary shows:

2006 general elections       2001General elections      1997 General elections    1992 General  elections

Party     Seats     Party    Seats    Party     Seats     Party     Seats
PPP/C    36         PPP/C    34       PPP/C    29         PPP      28
PNC-1G   22       PNC-1G    27      PNC-1G    22        PNC    23
AFC        05        TUF          01       TUF         1         WPA    1
GAP/ROAR    01    ROAR    01         AFG    1         TUF     1
TUF    01            GAP/WPA    02               

In reality,the WPA has gone to elections independently one time in its general elections history. Other times they allied with smaller parties.
So the question is: what can the WPA demand of the ‘JOPP’ with this record? What can any small party demand of the ‘JOPP’?  From records I just reproduced the ‘JOPP’ shows very little probability as a credible election challenger for the PPP/C.
There are other factors that make this illusion of the ‘JOPP’ unseating the PPP/C in the 2011 elections a vapour of a dream.
There have been crossovers of party members to other political parties and so have weakened small-party electioneering potential. Hardest hit are the ROAR and WPA, with AFC enjoying the core support from ROAR and WPA crossovers. The PPP meanwhile  has been able to effectively dismantle the WPA’s Amerindian machinery that broke the back of the PNC in 1992 and 1997 and welcome those into the PPP/C. History will unfold the tale of PNC dominance on Amerindian stakeholders until the WPA came on stream and effectively destroyed the stranglehold of the PNC. Amerindian support propelled WPA’s entry into parliament in 1992; surprisingly this part of history has not been recognised. It cannot be taken for granted that the WPA and the UF to a lesser extent still have electioneering machinery.
Taking the 2006 election results to form a base for argument on how well the ‘JOPP’ can perform at the 2011 elections is a dismal thought, even if the AFC was brought into the equation. 
So there is no worry for a WPA demanding from the ‘JOPP’ more than it can chew.. which is very little. One cannot contribute an ounce’s worth and demand a pound. ‘Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh. Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less, nor more, but just a pound of flesh’. Shakespeare – Merchant of Venice. The ‘JOPPs have a lot of cutting to do. Help Guyana…