Working People’s Alliance (WPA) co-leader and parliamentarian Dr David Hinds has sharply criticised the government and the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) for failing to issue a statement of condolence following the death of veteran political activist Eusi Kwayana, questioning whether the omission reflects the party’s attitude towards his political legacy and the black community.
Eight days after Kwayana died at the age of 101 on October 10, Hinds said the absence of even a brief expression of sympathy to the late activist’s family and the WPA was particularly troubling given Kwayana’s contributions to the PPP’s formative years and Guyana’s political development.
“Someone of Kwayana’s stature, the government has not issued a statement, not even a one-paragraph expression of sympathy to his family. Not our government. That tells us a lot,” Hinds said.
He added: “It says a lot about the PPP’s attitude towards Kwayana’s politics, but also their attitude to black people.”
Hinds contrasted the government’s silence with the response of the People’s National Congress (PNC), which issued a statement on the day Kwayana died.
He said he could not imagine the WPA failing to express sympathy to the PPP if a prominent figure from that party had died, arguing that offering condolences transcends political disagreements and reflects basic humanity.
Kwayana’s contributions to the PPP
Kwayana’s political history makes the omission particularly significant, Hinds argued, given his involvement in the early development of the PPP and the broader struggle for political change in British Guiana, as Guyana was then known.
A prominent left-wing activist, Kwayana was among the pioneering figures involved in the original PPP, serving as assistant general secretary and contributing to the party’s political mobilisation. He also helped give the party its battle song, leaving a lasting imprint on its identity and political culture.
However, ideological differences eventually fractured his relationship with the party during the 1950s, as disagreements emerged over its leadership, political direction and approach to national development.
According to Hinds, Kwayana was among those who challenged aspects of Cheddi Jagan’s leadership, including the inclusion of members of the Indian business class in the PPP and Jagan’s decision to keep British Guiana out of the West Indies Federation.
As those divisions deepened, Kwayana left the PPP and subsequently became a leading figure in the WPA, where he continued advocating racial equality, democratic participation and shared governance.
A legacy beyond party politics
Hinds stressed that Kwayana’s significance extended far beyond his association with any single political organisation.
He highlighted the veteran activist’s contributions to the movement that helped establish Guyana’s national identity and to the country’s constitutional development, describing him as a towering figure in the black community whose life offered an example of political engagement, organisational discipline and positive living.
“This is the black man of Guyana,” Hinds said.
His remarks also underscored the broader question of how Guyana recognises individuals whose contributions to national development may be complicated by political disagreements.
Kwayana spent decades challenging established political structures and advocating changes to how power was exercised and distributed. His work on racial equality and inclusive governance remained central to his political philosophy.
For Hinds, preserving that legacy requires more than tributes following the death of a national figure. It demands continued engagement with the ideas and principles that shaped his activism.
“What Kwayana has left us with is a legacy, a huge body of work. He has left us a philosophy, he has left us a praxis,” Hinds said.
Hinds maintained that Kwayana’s contributions to the PPP, his subsequent political journey and his lifelong commitment to political change form an indispensable part of Guyana’s history.
The government’s failure to publicly acknowledge his death, he argued, raises questions about whether political differences are being allowed to overshadow recognition of a figure whose influence extended across generations and political movements.
Kwayana’s legacy, however, remains larger than the parties with which he was once associated, encompassing decades of activism, political thought and advocacy for a more inclusive Guyana.
