Balram Singh Rai

Balram Singh Rai was a dominant political figure in Guyanese politics during the decades of late 1950s and early 1960s. He was born in Beterverwerwagting Village on the East Coast of Demerara, the child of Ramlachan and Radha Rai. They are Hindus of the Arya Samaj denomination from which Rai never deviated by all accounts.

Education and early career

He passed his Junior and Senior Cambridge exams at the age of 13, and 16, respectively, and received an LLB degree with honors from the University of London. One early prominent position he held was Vice President of the Civil Service Administration in 1949. While a civil servant, he promoted the then PPP leader, Cheddi Jagan, as a candidate for the 1947 General Election.

Political affiliations

Rai entered politics when Guyana had three major rival parties—The People's Progressive Party (PPP), The People's National Congress (PNC), and The United Force (UF). He sided with the PPP, but later he made a controversial move to form his own party, the Justice Party. The controversy ranged over jobs, race, power, and corruption. Rai’s party, however, could not penetrate the market share of the established parties—PPP, PNC, and UF. In the 1964 General Election, the JP got only 1,334 votes, less than a percent, and not amounting to a seat in parliament.

Parliamentary years

Rai represented Central Demerara in parliament during the 1957-1964 period. During 1959-1961 he was Minister of Community Development and Education, and during 1961-1962 he was Minister of Home Affairs. On November 1970, he went into voluntary exile, living at Ealig, London, UK.[1]

Political achievements

As Minister of Education, he brought 51 denomination schools under government control. This achievement aimed to disallow indoctrination of student into other faiths. He choose a merit system to fill government positions. This is sometimes called a policy of “Guianization,” which did not discriminate among the nation's six nationalities. On the human-rights side, he ordered the police to step down from their aggressive policy of shooting people perceived as creating disturbances during the Black Friday Riot incident of February 16, 1962.

References
  1. Kaieture News Online. (2015). "Securing Parliamentary Pension for Balram Singh Rai." (June 13).http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2015/06/13/securing-parliamentary-pension-for-balram-singh-rai
  • Rambarack, Baytoram. (2005)."Against the Grain: Balram Singh Rai and the Politics of Guyana." Chakra Publishing House.


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