(April 25, 1951 – October 28, 2014)

A Tribute by
CLEMENT ROHEE
General Secretary, People’s Progressive Party

“Men make their own history, but they do not make it just as they please; they do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly encountered, given and transmitted from the past. The tradition of all the dead generation weights like a nightmare on the brain of the living. And just when they seem engaged in revolutionizing themselves and things in creating something that has never yet existed,
precisely in such periods of revolutionary crisis they anxiously conjure up the spirits of the past to their service and borrow from them names, battle-cries and costumes in order to present the new scene of world history in this time- honoured disguise and this borrowed language” (Karl Marx: The Eighteenth Brumaire Louis Bonaparte)

In an astounding sentence, Marx captures the essence of human endeavour, but reminds us of how men are constrained by time and space, geography and history.

Because Navin Chandarpal was a political scientist, mathematician and physicist he would have understood and grasped the essence of this sentence and recognised the historical context in which he functioned.

In other words, because he adhered steadfastly to the rigors of science he never allowed himself to fall victim to pessimistic nor fatalistic thinking.

He shunned metaphysics and obscurantist approaches to interpreting the laws of social development and opted for a dialectical and historical materialist approach. In fact, these were the subjects he taught at the Accabre College of Social Sciences, the ideological school of the People’s Progressive Party.

With the death of Navin Chandarpal an incalculable loss has been sustained by the working people of Guyana, the People’s Progressive Party and by historical science.

The void that is left by the departure of this esteemed Comrade will sooner rather than later make itself felt.

Navin embodied all that is good, healthy and positive in the PPP, the best homage, the best tribute we in the PPP can pay to him with his passing is to preserve and extend those attributes, limb and branch within the Party. They must not wither away for when that happens, the best traditions and the basic tenets on which the PPP is built will be lost forever.

As a natural consequence of his professional attributes which by their very nature made him the complex thinker and problem solver, Navin could labour in any area of scientific endeavour. In other words, while he played an integral role in a historically dynamic revolutionary force, at the same time he closely followed developments in the field of the Environment, Climate Change and challenges facing Small Island Developing States. Moreover, he paid close attention to curricula development from secondary to tertiary education especially in the areas of mathematics and physics.

But Navin was above all a true revolutionary. He contributed actively and passionately to all the critical policy making debates within the Party. These include the debates on transforming the Party from a Loose Mass Party to a more disciplined type of Party, the debates on whether the Party should contest or not to contest rigged elections; to boycott or not to boycott Parliament; the debates on whether the Party should extend Critical Support or Unconditional Support to the PNC Regime; the debates on the establishment of a National Patriotic Front and National Front Government, as well as debates resulting in the creation of the Civic component of the PPP. Cde Navin played a key role in the elaboration of the various PPP/C election Manifestoes and Central Committee Reports to Party Congresses. Only recently he was actively involved in the current discussions at the Leadership level of the Party with respect to issues of governance, elections and Parliamentary strategy and tactics.

In all of these debates his contributions were sharp and incisive, peppered with a measured degree of mirth and intense passion and persuasion.

Amazingly, only a few weeks ago he wrote articles for the Mirror newspaper and just completed an impressive historical review of the PNC’s “refusal to appoint Dr Walter Rodney as a Lecturer at the University of Guyana forty years ago.”

The latter work is testimony to his tenacity and dedication to documenting the true story of this ignominy and grave injustice meted out to Dr Rodney in his struggle for employment, justice and respect for human rights in Guyana.

Navin never wavered from his political or ideological convictions, and the scientist he was he never missed the opportunity to provide a scientific analysis of political developments nor to discern areas for flexibility in applying the appropriate strategy and tactics to a given political situation.

At the political level he saw as one of his missions in life as a contributor in one way or another to strengthening, consolidating and ensuring the purity of his Party.

He dedicated a tremendous amount of time and energy to Cadre building and political and ideological development of Party Members. It was in this arena that his teaching and communicating skills were utilised to the max and to the benefit of all those who sat through his lectures.

Navin and I worked together in the PYO for years. When he came to work full time at Freedom House as the First Secretary of the PYO, we became even closer.

The PYO Office at Freedom House under his guidance and leadership became a hive of activities, so much so that whenever he convened meetings there was no place to sit. Some had to stand. But he was even more energetic and passionate when his UG colleagues, Sarwan, Mato, Pandit, Bhulassie, Sat and Bhaggie among others would converge on Freedom House and the debates on youth and student issues would go late into the evenings.

And as though this was not enough, Navin and his team would retire to the “Yip Sin” Chinese Restaurant obliquely opposite Freedom House to continue their discussions over several rounds of beers which they thoroughly enjoyed.

What amazed me was how these young brilliant men could imbibe the day before and become even more brilliant the next day.

Among his peers, Navin was the primus interpares. What made him stand out in Youth, Student and other social gatherings was his ability to excel in telling a wide variety of anecdotes with great skill and wit especially involving the infamous prankster, “Balgobin” much to the amusement of his audience.

How he was able to store these funny stories in his memory bank always amazed many of us.

One of Navin’s greatest legacies was the establishment of the Pioneer Youth League. An Organisation from which many current Party Leaders emerged.

Dear friends, a great Comrade has died. He would have been greater had he the strength and good health to continue the crusade initiated by Comrade Cheddi for the establishment of a New Global Human Order, with a view to securing a resolution binding all UN Member States to commit to the actions called for in support of the establishment of the New Global Human Order (NGHO).

Cde Navin was a passionate internationalist. He travelled far and wide on behalf of the PYO, and the Party, representing the Youth and Student Movement of Guyana and later the Party at many international fora.

These journeys abroad brought tremendous benefits to the Party in its search for international support and solidarity and to extend in a reciprocal manner the same to the oppressed and fighting people for national liberation, peace and social progress.

During his stint in the National Assembly his contributions were par excellence. They showed no signs of useless trivia nor mediocracy. He was easy to follow and what he had to say made sense even to the senseless ones on the opposite side of the House.

Dear friends, Comrade Navin, a true revolutionary and internationalist would want us to continue to carry the fight against the inveterate critics, cynics and pessimists not to mention the posturing messiahs and intellectual degenerates who every day continue to revise history and spew their loathsome and disgusting bleatings in sections of the media principally aimed at the PPP and the PPP/C Administration.

As regards the Party to which he belonged, Comrade Navin would want us to continue adhering to the principle of democratic centralism, to abide by the requirements of Party discipline, to continuously preserve and defend Party unity, firmly oppose all harmful and internal factional behaviour, to strictly adhere to the provisions of the Party Constitution and to discipline and get rid of all those undesirable elements who by virtue of their misdeeds do great damage to the image and work of the Party.

Comrade Navin would “turn in his grave” were he to learn that Party Members and Leading Cadres do not combine theory and practice, stay close to the masses, practice criticism and self-criticism, conduct ourselves modestly and humbly, avoid arrogant and rash behaviour, abuse power and engage in trickery and deceptive behaviour and pursue extravagance and other unhealthy tendencies in our day to day life.

Moreover, Comrade Navin would want all Party Comrades to keep their feet firmly planted on the ground when dealing with current political, economic and social issues, never to be disconnected from the people. The lesson of 2011 must never be forgotten. Party Members whether in Government or out of Government must sincerely and genuinely place themselves at the service of all the people.

As we remember Navin, let us bear in mind that small mistakes can turn into massive problems and minor matters can lead to major incidents that damage the Party’s image in the eyes of the people.

In continuing his life’s journey Navin would want us the members and activists of the Party to maintain flesh and blood unity with the people and to always learn from them; breathing the same air as they breath, sharing their woes and distresses and representing their interest at all times.

To his sorrowing wife Indra, his two children Rabin and Geeta, his sisters and brothers and sisters-in-law and other relatives, I extend deepest sympathies on behalf of the leadership and entire membership of the Party.

Be consoled Dear Indra, Rabin and Geeta that way beyond this time of grief and sorrow, you will always be warmly embraced within the bossom of the Party.

Knowing Navin’s capacity and talent at poetry, limerick and rhyme, allow me to dedicate the following lines in his memory.

“Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I’m not there. I did not sleep;
I am the wind through your windows that blows;
I am the diamond glints in the Cuyuni that flows;
I am the sunlight in ripened sugar cane;
I am the gentle drip, drip in June when it rains;
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the voice that urge to Freedom House you must rush;
Like the gaulins in semi-circled flight;
I am the soft stars above Prado one at night;
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there, I did not die!

Comrades, the great American Tom Paine said:
“These are the times that try men’s souls”

He went on to add:
“If there must be trouble, let it be in my day that my child may have peace”

As we reflect on our dear Comrade let us remember that:
“Death is more universal than life, everyone dies but not everyone lives”

Navin lived and he will continue to live in our hearts and souls.
We shall always remember him!