Working People's Alliance
노동인민동맹
A democratic socialist party in Guyana, formed in 1974 as an alliance of four groups and turned into a political party in 1979. Informally led by Walter Rodney until his assassination in June 1980, it sought to replace ethnic politics with revolutionary organisations based on class solidarity and was the most effective opposition to the People's National Congress government.
In depth
The alliance was formed in 1974 by the Working People's Vanguard Party, the African Society for Cultural Relations with Independent Africa (ASCRIA), the Indian Political Revolutionary Associates and Ratoon, and became a political party in 1979. Walter Rodney, back from Tanzania in 1974 and barred by the government from a professorship at the University of Guyana, joined it. The alliance aimed to 'create political consciousness, replacing ethnic politics with revolutionary organisations based on class solidarity' and provided the most effective and credible opposition to the People's National Congress government. In 1979 Rodney was arrested and charged with arson after two government offices were burned; the charges were later dropped for lack of evidence.
Rodney was killed in Georgetown on 13 June 1980 by an explosive device in his car. A later Commission of Inquiry concluded that his death had been a state-ordered killing and that Prime Minister Forbes Burnham must have known of the plot. After Rodney's death the alliance was led by Rupert Roopnaraine and Eusi Kwayana.
It did not contest the 1980 elections; in 1985 it pulled out on election day yet still received 1.4% of the vote and one seat. It kept its seat with 2.0% in 1992, and won seats in alliance with the Guyana Labour Party in 1997 and with the Guyana Action Party in 2001. In 2011 it was part of the Partnership for National Unity (APNU), and in 2015 the joint APNU–Alliance for Change list won 33 seats, making David A. Granger president. It was a consultative member of the Socialist International until 2005.