British Guiana general election, 1953

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General elections were held in British Guiana on 27 April 1953. [1] They were the first held under universal suffrage and resulted in a victory for the People's Progressive Party (PPP), which won 18 of the 24 seats in the new House of Assembly. Its leader, Cheddi Jagan, became Prime Minister. [1]

British Guiana British posession in the Guianas region between 1814–1966

British Guiana was the name of the British colony, part of the British West Indies (Caribbean), on the northern coast of South America, now known as the independent nation of Guyana.

Universal suffrage Political concept

The concept of universal suffrage, also known as general suffrage or common suffrage, consists of the right to vote of all adult citizens, regardless of property ownership, income, race, or ethnicity, subject only to minor exceptions. In its original 19th-century usage by political reformers, universal suffrage was understood to mean only universal manhood suffrage; the vote was extended to women later, during the women's suffrage movement.

Peoples Progressive Party (Guyana)

The People's Progressive Party is a left-wing political party in Guyana. The party currently holds 32 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly, and has been the ruling party on several occasions, most recently between 1992 and 2015. In Guyana's ethnically divided political landscape, the PPP regards itself as a multi-ethnic organisation, but is supported primarily by Indo-Guyanese people.

Contents

Electoral system

Constitutional reforms as a result of the Waddington Commission had led to the creation of the House of Assembly to replace the Legislative Council. The new House had 28 members; 24 members elected in single member constituencies, a speaker appointed by the Governor and three ex officio members (the Chief Secretary, the Attorney General and the Financial Secretary). [2]

House of Assembly (British Guiana)

The House of Assembly was the legislature of British Guiana in the 1950s and 1960s.

Legislative Council (British Guiana)

The Legislative Council was the legislature of British Guiana between 1928 and 1953 and again from 1954 until 1961.

Campaign

The PPP ran candidates in 22 of the 24 constituencies, failing to contest the two interior constituencies due to a lack of money. The National Democratic Party contested 15 constituencies and the People's National Party eight. [3] A total of 85 independents, [4] including four United Guiana Party candidates, also contested the elections. [3] The United Workers and Farmers Party did run as a party, but contested some seats as independents. [3]

National Democratic Party (British Guiana) defunct political party of Ghana

The National Democratic Party (NDP) was a political party in British Guiana led by Rudy Kendall.

Results

PartyVotes%Seats
People's Progressive Party 77,69551.0418
National Democratic Party 20,03213.162
People's National Party3,0001.970
Independents51,50433.834
Invalid/blank votes3,995––
Total156,22610024
Registered voters/turnout208,93974.77–
Source: GECOM

Elected members

ConstituencyMemberPartyNotes
1 – North West William Alfred Phang Independent
2 – Pomeroon Thomas Sherwood Wheating Independent
3 – Western Essequibo Janet Jagan People's Progressive Party Deputy Speaker
4 – Essequibo Islands Theophilus Lee Independent
5 – Bartica and Interior Eugene Francis Correia National Democratic Party
6 – Demerara-Essequibo Fred Bowman People's Progressive Party
7 – West Bank Demerara Jai Narine Singh People's Progressive Party Minister of Local Government and Social Welfare
8 – East Bank Demerara Joseph Prayag Lachhmansingh People's Progressive Party Minister of Health and Housing
9 – Upper Demerara River Charles Albert Carter Independent
10 – Georgetown South Ashton Chase People's Progressive Party Minister of Labour, Industry and Commerce
11 – Georgetown South Central Clinton Reginald Wong People's Progressive Party
12 – Georgetown Central Jessie Irma Sampson Burnham People's Progressive Party
13 – Georgetown North Frank Obermuller van Sertima People's Progressive Party
14 – Georgetown North-East Forbes Burnham People's Progressive Party Minister of Education
15 – West Central Demerara Ram Karran People's Progressive Party
16 – Central Demerara Sydney Evanson King People's Progressive Party Minister of Communications and Works
17 – East Central Demerara Jane Phillips-Gay People's Progressive Party
18 – Mahaica-Mahaicony Chandra Sama Persaud People's Progressive Party
19 – Western Berbice Samuel Mahabali Latchmansingh People's Progressive Party
20 – New Amsterdam Rudy Kendall National Democratic Party
21 – Berbice River Ajodha Singh People's Progressive Party
22 – Eastern Berbice Robert Stanley Hanoman Singh People's Progressive Party
23 – Corentyne Coast Cheddi Jagan People's Progressive Party Leader of the House and Minister of Agriculture, Forests, Lands and Mines
24 – Corentyne River Mohamed Khan People's Progressive Party

Aftermath

After assuming power Jagan embarked on implementing a series of policies that involved radical social reform, mainly directed at the colonial oligarchy. The British colonial authorities sent in troops in response to the alleged threat of a Marxist revolution. Governor Alfred Savage suspended the constitution in October (only 133 days after it had come into force) and set up a transitional government of conservative politicians, businessmen and civil servants. [1]

Marxism economic and sociopolitical worldview based on the works of Karl Marx

Marxism is a theory and method of working class self-emancipation. As a theory, it relies on a method of socioeconomic analysis that views class relations and social conflict using a materialist interpretation of historical development and takes a dialectical view of social transformation. It originates from the works of 19th-century German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

Sir Alfred William Lungley Savage was the colonial Governor of British Guiana in 1953–55.

Related Research Articles

The recorded history of Guyana can be dated back to 1466, when Guyana de Ojeda's first expedition arrived from Spain at the Essequibo River. The history of Guyana has been shaped by the participation of many national and ethnic groups, as well as the colonial policies of the Spanish, French, Dutch, and British. The African slave rebellions in 1763 and 1823 were seminal moments in the nation's history. Africans were enslaved and transported to Guyana as slaves; in contrast, East Indians came as indentured labourers. Guyana's recent history is characterized in particular by the struggle to free itself from colonial rule, and from the lingering effects of colonialism.

Cheddi Jagan President of Guyana, Prime Minister of Guyana, dentist

Cheddi Berret Jagan was a Guyanese politician who was first elected Chief Minister in 1953 and later Premier of British Guiana from 1961 to 1964, prior to independence. He later served as President of Guyana from 1992 to 1997. He is widely regarded in Guyana as the "Father of the Nation".

Janet Jagan President of Guyana, Prime Minister of Guyana, nurse

Janet Rosenberg Jagan was the first female President of Guyana, serving from December 19, 1997, to August 11, 1999. She previously served as the first female Prime Minister of Guyana from March 17, 1997, to December 19, 1997. The wife of Cheddi Jagan, whom she succeeded as president, she was awarded Guyana's highest national award, the Order of Excellence, in 1993, and the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Gold Medal for Women's Rights in 1998.

Forbes Burnham Guyanese politician

Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham was a Guyanese political leader and leader of Guyana from 1964 until his death, as the first Prime Minister from 1964 to 1980 and as second President from 1980 to 1985. He is widely regarded as a strongman who fought for nationalism and encouraged Guyanese to manufacture and export more local product.

Elections in Guyana

Elections in Guyana take place within the framework of a multi-party representative democracy and a presidential system. The National Assembly is directly elected, with the nominee of the party or alliance that receives the most votes becoming President.

Donald Ramotar President of Guyana, economist

Donald Rabindranauth Ramotar is a Guyanese politician who was President of Guyana from 2011 to 2015. He was also the General Secretary of the People's Progressive Party (PPP) from 1997 to 2013.

Constitution of Guyana

The Constitution of Guyana is the highest governing document in the Republic of Guyana. It came into effect on October 6, 1980, replacing the constitution enacted in 1966 upon its independence from the United Kingdom. The current Constitution of Guyana contains 12 chapters that are further divided into 232 articles. It also contains a preamble and an oath. Since its 1980 enactment, it has gone through multiple amendments.

1964 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana on 7 December 1964. They saw the People's Progressive Party win 24 of the 53 seats. However, the People's National Congress and United Force were able to form a coalition government with a working majority. Despite losing the elections, Prime Minister and PPP leader Cheddi Jagan refused to resign, and had to be removed by Governor Richard Luyt, with Forbes Burnham replacing him. Voter turnout was 97.0%.

1957 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana on 12 August 1957. The result was a victory for the faction of the People's Progressive Party led by Cheddi Jagan, who remained Prime Minister.

1961 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana on 21 August 1961. The result was a victory for the People's Progressive Party, which won 20 of the 35 seats.

National Labour Front

The National Labour Front (NLF) was a political party in Guyana.

1947 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana on 24 November 1947. The British Guiana Labour Party emerged as the largest party, winning five of the 14 seats. Voter turnout was 71%.

1930 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana in September 1930.

1926 British Guiana general election

General elections were held in British Guiana on 15 October October 1926.

Manpower Citizens Association

The Manpower Citizens' Association was a trade union and political party in British Guiana.

Political Affairs Committee (British Guiana)

The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) was a political party in British Guiana.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p354 ISBN   978-0-19-928357-6
  2. ↑ Historical information events and dates on the Parliament of Guyana from 1718 to 2006 Parliament of Guyana
  3. 1 2 3 Odeen Ishmael (2013) The Guyana Story, Xlibris Corporation, p126[ self-published source ]
  4. ↑ 1953 Election GECOM
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