Ralph Ramkarran, Kwame and Evan

Sep 30, 2009 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

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As Mr. Jagdeo’ authoritarian instincts grew wider and deeper, I emphasized the point that he was only expressing what he knew, what he learned, what he internalized from the PPP. Have no illusions, Mr. Jagdeo has not turned out any different from all other PPP leaders with the exception of E.M.G. Wilson, Moses Bhagwan and Khemraj Ramjattan. Wilson could be counted out because he didn’t really fit the pastern of strong, independent-minded leaders in the PPP hierarchy because he never really lived in a regime of constantly questioning the wisdom of Cheddi Jagan and Janet Jagan.
But “Coco” as we affectionately called him, was a cut above the rest. He was too nice a person to be in the PPP leadership.
There must have been something in the history and/or character of Bhagwan and Ramjattan that we don’t know of that led them to reject the conformist culture of the PPP and the syndrome of groupthink. Guyana’s politics have been much better because of the radical departure of these two men.
Bhagwan played a huge role in the return of free and fair elections. Ramjattan resurrected the role of the third party after Peter D’Aguiar quit politics and that may be decisive in defeating elected dictatorship in the forthcoming national elections
In these columns, I have lamented the absence of any good leader in the PPP for the foreseeable future. Mr. Jagdeo in my very personal belief is a cut below Forbes Burnham. I think Burnham had a class that Jagdeo unfortunately could not have inculcated and I think that makes him appear as a less aesthetic and philosophical dictator. In fact there is nothing aesthetic or philosophical about Jagdeo.
We will see the qualities Mr. Jagdeo possesses in December when the climate change discussions ends. Failure for Mr. Jagdeo should result in his resignation. And if he fails, we must make a comparison between his foreign policy balance sheet and the tall strides Burnham made in international relations in the seventies.
What people have to understand is that no two persons are alike but whether it was Jones, Smith, Khan, Jagdeo, Ramkarran, Rohee, Teixeira, Luncheon, Ramotar, the PPP Government would have ended up the way it is. PPP leaders subscribe to groupthink and they were schooled in the art of fascist organization of party structures.
Today, you look at the PPP and you fail to see what fundamental differences there are between those that we hear may run for the party as its presidential candidate in 2011 and Mr. Jagdeo.
Take Ralph Ramkarran. Before I comment on him, let us quote his latest column in the Chronicle. Here goes; “Vishnu Bisram, the well known and reputable New York pollster, recently published a poll, reflecting what I believe to be the true state of affairs, namely, that President Jagdeo is the most popular politician in Guyana and if he runs for a third term he will win hands down.
The outstanding economic and social progress in Guyana under President Jagdeo’s leadership, amidst great challenges, and a number of initiatives in the world financial architecture and climate change have  ensured Jagdeo’s stature as a leading statesman. The poll confirms this.” (End of quote)
This is not only an amazing statement but one that is patently absurd. Ramkarran is like the rest of his colleagues – they barefacedly refuse to face reality and embrace even a modicum of the truth, even an infinitesimal amount of truth. In regards to Bisram, which country Ramkarran lives in?
Mr. Bisram’s polling partner, Mr. Mike Persaud, wrote a long letter in both independent dailies last week detailing his experience with polling with Mr. Bisram and concluded that there is no group named Nacta and that Mr,. Bisram does his extrapolations on Guyana from a particular type of software. Does Mr. Ramkarran read the Stabroek News?
On September 14, the editor carried a note saying he will no longer publish letters on the Bisram controversy. They are finished with Bisram over there. Only Ramkarran in Guyana believes Bisram is a reputable New York pollster. In the meantime, Mr. Ramkarran should continue looking for a phantom organization named Nacta
On the question of Mr. Jagdeo’s “outstanding economic and social progress under Mr. Jagdeo,” one cannot help asking if Mr. Ramkarran had help when he wrote those words. I say this because he went on to write about Mr. Jagdeo initiatives in the “world financial architecture.”
These are words that resemble those used by Prem Misir. Where in this “outstanding economic and social progress”? I wonder if we should ask two PPP personalities about that. One name is Kwame, the other is Evan.

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