Dr Max Hanoman leading UPP to 2001 polls Frustrated over country's continuing slide Stabroek News October 10, 2000 The leader of one of Guyana's recently formed political parties, the United People's Party (UPP), said he jumped into the political arena as a result of his frustration at the way the country was continuing to go downhill. In his comfortable second floor office at his medical clinic on Brickdam, city physician Dr Max Hanoman, he is rarely called by his first name--Carl--by patients or friends, spoke to Stabroek News about his party's plans. In his typical no-nonsense approach, Dr Hanoman said he waited and waited for something about which Guyana could be proud. But instead it was more of the same--the declining value of the dollar, the increasing crime rate, the ever-widening gap between the rich and the poor, the decline in the education system, racial disharmony, rising unemployment; just to name a few of the irritants that added to his frustration at the way the country was being run. "Guyana has not progressed since independence in 1966. Instead everything has declined--education, health, the economy, opportunities for children, foreign investment, the climbing suicide rate, border problems." Dr Hanoman formed his party with a core group of friends and acquaintances--Edmond Braithwaite, Ewart Marshall and Ron Sukram. The party's initial source of funding comes from overseas from groups of concerned Guyanese such as the "UGA" in New York and the Toronto, Canada-based "Rebuild Guyana," Dr Hanoman said. About the members of the party, Dr Hanoman explained that many were reluctant to come out now for fear of victimisation. That fear, he said, was not only among those in Guyana but even those overseas. But if we are living in a democracy Dr Hanoman asks, "why should people in a supposedly free society be afraid of victimisation?" But he did name Michael Kersting, Gopaul Singh, Kwesi Nkofi, Ramjohn, Vijay Singh, Dr Balram, and Ameena Hack as among the members of the party's executive. Dr Hanoman who considers himself an administrator rather than a politician said that his party would be focusing the electorate's attention on issues as a way of addressing the polarisation of the society. A newsletter being distributed by the party says "Electing a party because of loyalty to past leaders or because of race or creed will never eradicate our problems. The time has come for us to assert our better judgement and support a group that will make Guyana an industrious and powerful nation." The UPP is already registered with the Elections Commission and if given the opportunity intends to contest in all the regional constituencies. "You cannot call yourself a national party and not contest in every region", the party added. Aware of the strongholds of the PPP/Civic and the PNC, Dr Hanoman extended an invitation to all the other parties to join with the UPP in creating a credible third force. Follow the goings-on in Guyana in Guyana Today