Dr Bharrat Jagdeo, the general secretary of Guyana's governing People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), has urged citizens not to take democracy for granted. He made the call in a statement issued on 5 October to mark 34 years since the country's 1992 general election. Dr Jagdeo is also the Vice President.
The 1992 election ended 28 years of rule by the People's National Congress (PNC) and returned the PPP/C to government. It is widely regarded as the country's first free and fair vote in decades, and the date remains a fixed point in Guyanese political history.
In his statement, Dr Jagdeo said the result represented more than a change of administration. He argued that it made possible an independent judiciary, a stronger Parliament, a free press and a new Constitution that set out fundamental protections. He acknowledged that these institutions have imperfections but described them as hard-won gains that remain necessary for a society in which citizens can live freely and pursue opportunity.
He also linked the restoration of democracy to economic recovery. According to Dr Jagdeo, debt reduction, sound economic management and long-term planning provided the base for growth and for advances in health, education, housing and other social services. The statement did not cite figures to support these claims, which reflect his own assessment of the party's record.
Dr Jagdeo then turned to the 2020 elections. He said Guyanese had recently seen political actors attempt to overturn the will of the people, and that efforts by the APNU+AFC coalition to rig the 2020 General and Regional Elections failed because the PPP/C defended the country and the right of its people to choose their government.
The 2020 poll was followed by a prolonged dispute over the count, with legal challenges and months of delay. The result was declared in August 2020 after a national recount supervised by the Caribbean Community, and the PPP/C's Irfaan Ali was sworn in as President. The APNU+AFC contested aspects of the process at the time. The statement did not include a response from the coalition.
Looking ahead, Dr Jagdeo said the party would remain vigilant in protecting democratic freedoms. He said it would also work to ensure that development reaches every family and every region, with priority given to job creation, housing, education, health and the wellbeing of children, young people and older citizens.
He said such initiatives take time to implement and require fiscal discipline and transparent management of public resources. The party, he added, would continue to deliver on its commitments and to fight corruption in all its forms. No specific policies, targets or timelines were given.
Dr Jagdeo closed the statement with what he called the party's promise: a Guyana where prosperity reaches every community and every citizen regardless of race, religion or creed. He said this is what the PPP/C fought for in 1992 and what it intends to keep delivering.
The statement comes from the leader of the governing party and presents his view of the party's role in the country's democratic history. Readers seeking to weigh its claims can look to independent assessments of Guyana's institutions, published economic and social data, the electoral record of 2020, and the views of the opposition, which were not part of the statement.
