It’s time the Executive Committee of the PPP moves away from this backwardness

Mar 28, 2011 Letters

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Dear Editor,
The PPP is now struggling to deal with the legacy bequeathed to it by its maximum leaders, the Jagans, that is, the party’s institutionalised and undemocratic process of identifying its presidential candidate for the national elections.
It is time the Executive Committee of the PPP moves away from this backwardness and show some respect for its supporters by involving them in this critical aspect of our national political life. In this context, I think it is important that we all lend our voices to the conversation which hopefully will help to bring the ensuing process to a conclusion where the PPP democratically elects a person of integrity, competence, compassion, and most of all, a great love for the country and its people. Some may be snickering as they read and ask themselves, “Who in the upper echelons of the PPP possesses these qualifications?”
Of all the front-runners vying for the position, Ralph Ramkarran is the candidate whom I view as being worthy of leading Cheddi’s party into the future. I have had fleeting encounters with this gentleman over the years and he has always come over as being thoughtful, calm, and genuinely interested in the development of the county and its people.
However, his most admirable trait is his dignified humility. Uncle Ralph, as he is affectionately known by many, is no Johnny-come-lately to the national political scene, having sat at the foot of his father, Boysie Ramkarran, a towering force and pioneer of our nationalist movement spearheaded by the Fathers of the Nation, Burnham and Jagan. He obviously had to absorb much of the lessons of the day, inherent in which were the values and principles which guided and inspired our pioneering leaders in their fight for political independence, social justice and equality and fairness in treatment for all Guyanese.
I have no doubt that he will bring these values and principles to the national landscape if he succeeds in his quest to earn the nod of the PPP as its presidential candidate. But what are his chances of being allowed to do so?
Jagdeo and his cabal are now desperately attempting to foist a lightweight in the person of Donald Ramotar on his party (and potentially on the nation) to assume this responsibility. But we should not be surprised given the fact that the ‘Buser-In-Chief’ is now positioning himself to stay engaged in the political arena, (albeit from behind the scenes), and must logically attempt to influence the outcome of the selection process to ensure that it produces someone who is malleable and accepting of his dictates.
Mr. Ramkarran is the only obstacle in the way of Jagdeo in his efforts to continue his rape of the country, only now, from behind the scenes, facilitated by a grateful and robotic surrogate. As for the others in the PPP who pretend to the throne, Mr. Ramkarran has nothing to fear in a fair fight! Rohee, Teixeira et al are really just a bunch of ambitious oddballs for the position!
What I find poetically ironic is that Mr. Ramkarran, an independent thinker and intellect, is the only candidate who can now inject new life into the party of Cheddi Jagan. It is ironic since Dr. J seemed to have had a natural suspicion of persons of the pedigree of Mr. Ramkarran and preferred to encircle himself with the Rohees of our world, whom have helped to bring the PPP to its knees and present position of disrepute.
I believe that Mr. Ramkarran will prevail in a democratic and fair election for the presidential candidacy of the PPP. If this becomes a reality I believe that Mr. Ramkarran will set out to rehabilitate the party of Dr. Jagan and his father, and hopefully, earn for it full redemption.
If he fails in his quest, that will be the death knell of the values and principles of the PPP as articulated by Cheddi Jagan, hence the death of the PPP! Some will say that this is inevitable since most do not believe that the present leadership of the PPP has the capacity and moral standing to rise above the socialised instincts of the party which were moulded and burnished by Dr. Jagan (and his wife) in the ideological fire of Marxism-Leninism which is fundamentally undemocratic in nature.
Let us hope that saner heads prevail and the PPP moves in the direction of strengthening the democratic ethos within its organisation. Guyana needs to break free of the non-progressiveness which has characterised the national political discourse for almost half a century.
The PPP and the PNC have both been responsible for this seemingly intractable problem and they must now take the lead in being a part of its solution. The PNCR, in its election of Mr. Granger as its presidential candidate has done its part in moving towards this end. The PPP must follow suit or run the real risk of becoming at best, inconsequential, or at worst, a pariah on the national political stage.
Hubert Wong

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