Guyanese will be able to assess the future of the PPP, and the government it leads, by the way in which it treats with the electoral defeat of 2011 at its upcoming Congress. Defying all rational odds and holding on to a minority government, courtesy of the Burnham constitution, the results of the elections signalled the most serious crisis facing the PPP since 1992. With its popular vote slipping from 53 per cent to 48 per cent, the leadership will have to give some account of its stewardship to the party, or lack thereof, which could have resulted in such a dramatic decline in fortunes after so much bluster and bombast over the past ten years and during the election campaign.
No information has been revealed by the PPP as to the results of any analysis made by it of the reasons for its dismal performance. The word is, however, that no analysis has been done but two general views prevail. One is that support fell off because of failures of the government which includes arrogance, extravagance, corruption and loss of support of sugar workers because of the high-handed attitude to them. The other is that the party organizational capacity faltered, lost contact with the people and failed to organize the turnout of voters.
The Central Committee Report will be forced to analyse the reasons for the loss. But the reasons will be anecdotal, would be based on no serious investigation, and would seek to attribute only collective responsibility for the loss. It will probably admit some governmental mistakes but only enough to give the report a bit of credibility. Dr Jagdeo, who headed the government and on whose head any criticism may fall, is still untouchable. To avoid emphasis on the
