Should the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) be allowed to return to office, it would unreservedly engage in revenge politics against the coalition administration and its supporters, says Executive Member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Dr. David Hinds.
During an exclusive interview with the Guyana Standard, the political activist said, “I do believe that the PPP would do this and I am guided by the Party’s history where this matter is concerned. Part of its practice when it came back to power in 1992 was guided by revenge politics. It never forgave the political forces in the country for what it sought to do, whether correctly or incorrectly, as it forced the party’s removal from office in 1964.”
The University Professor continued, “So when it got back to power in 1992, although it did not jail members of the previous regime, it went after its constituencies such as those in the public service, the foreign service and the armed forces. I don’t see any evidence that the party has veered away from that practice. In fact, I would argue that given its narrative, the present government has waged war against Indian Guyanese in the public service and the sugar workers and the PPP will obviously use that as justification for resuming its revenge if it returns to office.”
He added, “I would argue therefore that revenge politics is in the DNA of the PPP. It is practiced by all parties across the region but it is in the DNA of the PPP.”
Even in his recent writings, the columnist reminded of his personal experiences with the revenge politics of the PPP.
The official said, “The PPP government was mean to me personally. I was denied employment; I was blacklisted at the airport. I was denied access to the state media. And I think if they return to power, they would resume those actions. There is something about the PPP’s politics that thrives on revenge. It is for that reason that I cannot support that party’s return to power.”
