SINCE the passing of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, Founder Leader of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), and his wife, Janet Jagan, there have been criticisms that the principles on which the Party was founded have been forgotten.The latest such comment has come from Dr. Jagan’s own son, Joey, who has been lamenting in recent years that the PPP has moved away from his father’s vision.

A point he has been making time and again of late is that the upcoming May 11 General and Regional Elections will be the first time that there will be ‘no Jagan’ on the PPP’s list of candidates, from which representatives of the people are selected and appointed as Members of Parliament (MP).
But, PPP General Secretary, Mr. Clement Rohee yesterday refuted this contention. “I cannot recall that this is the first time that we have not had a Jagan on the list,” he said. “I can’t recall that we had one in 2011,” he told members of the media during his weekly press conference at Freedom House.
He insisted that the PPP has stayed true to the vision of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, particularly when it comes to the development of Guyana.

DEVELOPMENT WITH A HUMAN FACE
Dr. Jagan’s principle had always been ‘development with a human face’, according to the PPP General Secretary. The coining of the term was premised on recognising all the imperatives of taking people’s empowerment into consideration when planning developmental strategies.
He maintained the view that the ruling party has made significant advances in the economic and social spheres, in line with the principle of the party’s founder.
“Significant social and economic progress has been made,” Rohee said. “Our projects have been people-centred in terms of water, housing and infrastructural advances. Projects advanced by the PPP/C administration have benefited all Guyanese,” Rohee said in a prior interview with the Guyana Chronicle.

Rohee highlighted that social advances are seen in the successes of the education, health and housing sectors, as well as in the support to vulnerable groups in Guyana.
With regard to Guyana’s economic standing, Guyana has had real consecutive economic growth every year since 2006. This represents the longest period of uninterrupted real economic growth since Independence in 1966. Growth as at mid-year, according to a report from Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, reached the 3.2 percent mark. The economy is projected to grow by 4.5 percent in the full year 2014, with non-sugar growth projected at 3.6 percent.
The private sector has also made significant achievements in every area of endeavour, with investments taking place in mining, agriculture, tourism, commerce and information-based technology. The service sector has also grown steadily, making an important contribution to Guyana’s economic progress. Also, over the years, Guyana has seen massive development in the construction sector.