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1953 British Guiana general election

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FieldValue
countryBritish Guiana
typeparliamentary
previous_election1947 British Guiana general election
previous_year1947
next_election1957 British Guiana general election
next_year1957
seats_for_election24 of the 28 seats in the House of Assemblymajority_seats=15
election_date27 April 1953
turnout74.77%
image1Cheddi Jagan Anefo.jpg
leader1Cheddi Jagan
leader_since11 January 1950
party1People's Progressive Party (Guyana)
seats1**18**
popular_vote1**77,695**
leaders_seat1Corentyne Coast
percentage1**51.04%**
image23x4.svg
leader2Rudy Kendall
leader_since21953
colour2FFD700
party2NDP
seats22
popular_vote220,032
leaders_seat2New Amsterdam
percentage213.16%
titleChief Minister
posttitleElected Chief Minister
before_election*None*
after_electionCheddi Jagan
after_partyPPP

General elections were held in British Guiana on 27 April 1953. 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.

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).

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. including four United Guiana Party candidates, also contested the elections. The United Workers and Farmers Party did run as a party, but contested some seats as independents.

Results

Elected members

ConstituencyMemberPartyNotes
1 – North WestWilliam Alfred PhangIndependent
2 – PomeroonThomas Sherwood WheatingIndependent
3 – Western EssequiboJanet JaganPeople's Progressive PartyDeputy Speaker
4 – Essequibo IslandsTheophilus LeeIndependent
5 – Bartica and InteriorEugene Francis CorreiaNational Democratic Party
6 – Demerara-EssequiboFred BowmanPeople's Progressive Party
7 – West Bank DemeraraJai Narine SinghPeople's Progressive PartyMinister of Local Government and Social Welfare
8 – East Bank DemeraraJoseph Prayag LachhmansinghPeople's Progressive PartyMinister of Health and Housing
9 – Upper Demerara RiverCharles Albert CarterIndependent
10 – Georgetown SouthAshton ChasePeople's Progressive PartyMinister of Labour, Industry and Commerce
11 – Georgetown South CentralClinton Reginald WongPeople's Progressive Party
12 – Georgetown CentralJessie BurnhamPeople's Progressive Party
13 – Georgetown NorthFrank Obermuller van SertimaPeople's Progressive Party
14 – Georgetown North-EastForbes BurnhamPeople's Progressive PartyMinister of Education
15 – West Central DemeraraRam KarranPeople's Progressive Party
16 – Central DemeraraSydney Evanson KingPeople's Progressive PartyMinister of Communications and Works
17 – East Central DemeraraJane Phillips-GayPeople's Progressive Party
18 – Mahaica-MahaiconyChandra Sama PersaudPeople's Progressive Party
19 – Western BerbiceSamuel Mahabali LatchmansinghPeople's Progressive Party
20 – New AmsterdamRudy KendallNational Democratic Party
21 – Berbice RiverAjodha SinghPeople's Progressive Party
22 – Eastern BerbiceRobert Stanley Hanoman SinghPeople's Progressive Party
23 – Corentyne CoastCheddi JaganPeople's Progressive PartyLeader of the House and Minister of Agriculture, Forests, Lands and Mines
24 – Corentyne RiverMohamed KhanPeople'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.

References

References

  1. [[Dieter Nohlen]] (2005) ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I'', p354 {{ISBN. 978-0-19-928357-6
  2. [http://parliament.gov.gy/GUYANA%20PARLIAMENT%20HISTORY%202009-1.pdf Historical information events and dates on the Parliament of Guyana from 1718 to 2006] Parliament of Guyana
  3. A total of 85 independents,[http://www.gecom.org.gy/pdf/elections%20results%201953.pdf 1953 Election] {{Webarchive. link. (2016-06-16 GECOM)
  4. [http://www.guyana.org/features/guyanastory/chapter127.html The election campaign in 1953] Guyana News and Information
  5. (October 30, 2020). "In 1953, Britain openly removed an elected government, with tragic consequences | Gaiutra Bahadur".
Info: Wikipedia Source

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