Elections flashback… A question of the essential

THE period of the People’s National Congress rule (1968-1992) left bitter memories in the minds of Guyanese – memories of layoffs, poor diets, lack of basic foodstuffs and shortage of basic foods and drinks. In other spheres, people were concerned about the rise in the price of certain essential goods. In the latter part of the 1970’s, Forbes Buhrmann adopted a policy of autarky; he banned all forms of imports into the country, including flour and varieties of rice. Prior to that, he had passed a sweeping ‘National Security Act’ giving the police the power to search, seize and arrest anyone virtually at will.

As a result, bribes, the offer of meals and ‘take away’ packages were the tools employed by some Guyanese, to keep at bay the police who inspected for ‘contraband’. At other times other extremes were employed, ‘contraband’ was dumped in latrines as police ranks insisted on a search.
There were many protest actions, supported by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). Pictured is one of those protests in the 1980’s where Guyanese people were demanding change.

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