Albert Boodhoo supported our struggle for democracy in New York

Dear Editor,

It is with sadness that I learned of the passing of New York-based Albert Boodhoo who was a grass roots activist of the PPP/C and a strong trade unionist who served GAWU and the working class with distinction.

He greatly admired Dr Cheddi Jagan for his self-less struggle against the exploitation of the working class, and he took a page out of his book to serve the sugar workers. He also fought against the PNC dictatorship for the restoration of democracy.

Albert, as we called him in New York, came from humble beginnings on the Corentyne with his parents, grandparents and great grand tied to the sugar estate. Not surprisingly, he grounded with the poor and the working class and committed to improving their lot.

I first met Albert around 1991 in Richmond Hill at a public forum when I was a discussant on the freedom struggle against the PNC dictatorship. He gravitated towards me for my political analysis on Guyana. He was at several political meetings thereafter, even after the restoration of democracy, and he attended several cultural events, including the annual Phagwah parade.

Boodhoo was also a supporter of the Association of Concerned Guyanese (ACG), New York branch, though not an activist like others who were members of the ACG, or the handful of us who were deeply embedded in the struggle against the dictatorship.

Albert attended several meets when Dr Jagan, Janet Jagan, Sam Hinds, and Bharrat Jagdeo visited our community in Queens and addressed the public, giving updates on the political situation. He also admired the political work and intellect of stalwarts like Ralph Ramkarran and Moses Nagamootoo and he was most disappointed that both left the party they so long served for almost 50 years each.

He was especially praiseworthy of Ramkarran, whom he felt, would have made an excellent President. I did not see Boodhoo when President Donald Ramotar visited over the last several years; understandably, he was wheel-chair bound.

In our limited interaction, Albert gave a lot of details about Guyana’s politics, race relations and labour affairs. He would query about my polls and was concerned about Guyana’s politics and the direction of the PPP/C.

He was a source of information for several topical issues. He possessed a tremendous amount of knowledge on labor issues. He was a human library on labour matters; he knew virtually everything about the history of labour even though he was not college educated.

Albert was a fine gentleman who exuded compassion and care for the dispossessed and poor working class. He was professional in his demeanor and spoke candidly about politics in his former homeland.

He was not afraid to speak out against what he perceived to be errors made by the PPP/C Administration. He felt the working class was being neglected and not much was being done to alleviate the hardship of sugar workers.

I join with friends and former sugar workers in saying farewell to a former stalwart of GAWU for his outstanding contribution to labor activism and workers’ rights in Guyana. His deeds in the fight for the restoration of democracy and for the dignity of the working class in our homeland will remain deep in our memory.

Vishnu Bisram