Verbatim – In the President’s own words

Jun 09, 2013 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

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President Donald Ramotar’s own words express perfectly the policies of the People’s Progressive Party Civic administration.  They also explain why the government is so often in gridlock, why public policy is in tatters and why ordinary Guyanese are so dissatisfied with their ‘quality of life.’
Ralph Ramkarran, wrote in his column, “The PPP’s enduring fears” (Stabroek News, January 14, 2013) that”…the objective realities of the political history of Guyana since 1953 and its impact on the PPP’s ‘psyche’ have profoundly influenced the direction and orientation of its basic approaches, even within the changing class composition of its leadership, which has impacted on some aspects of its policies…”
Ramkarran, also wrote, in a later column, “The Constitution of the People’s Progressive Party” (Stabroek News, June 2, 2013), that the PPP’s Marxist-Leninist Constitution was so designed because “We believed that, in the conditions we were then facing where open, democratic activity was becoming difficult and we might have to function in ‘conditions of illegality’, the constitution had to be adapted to enable us to survive with a structure.”
Ramotar and Ramkarran have dwelt for decades in the belly of the party. The words of President Donald Ramotar – who is also PPP’s General Secretary – provide a glimpse at his mindset.
On the People’s Progressive Party:
“Our party had always been the most democratic party in the country. Every position in our party is an elected position. On this question of the presidential candidate, the three colleagues withdrew.  I think fundamentally they withdrew because I think they understood very well that…I had probably a lot of support both on the level of the ground and in the leadership of the party.  So, I think what they did was very noble because it was in the interest of the party and again it was also in the interest of our country because the history of this country shows that we move forward when the PPP and the PPP Civic government is in office.” (Stabroek News, April 23, 2011).
“I don’t think you understand how we [the PPP] operate…Jagdeo was not a law unto himself. He has never been a law unto himself. Those were programmes of the PPP. Those were policies of the PPPC…I am not looking for a brand or to say that this is Ramotar’s brand… I have not been so egotistic.” (Kaieteur News, September 23, 2012).
“Allow me to express my gratitude, on behalf of the nation to the outgoing President of Guyana Cde Bharrat Jagdeo, our youngest and longest serving President, so far, for his exemplary service to the people of Guyana. Our nation is indebted to his phenomenal work and dedication during his tenure in office. I thank you comrade.”(Inaugural address,  December 3, 2011).
On the Opposition:
“…you put a hog in a place it still remains a pig, and that is what we have, that is what we have with the opposition. But they are showing their claws. They are showing their intentions. What they are trying to do to Comrade Rohee is very, very clear that these people have not lost their dictatorial ambition.” (Stabroek News, November 27, 2012).
“…today, they say Jamaica is in crisis but Jamaica’s debt is only 140 per cent of its GDP—we had 658 per cent—and the jackass Nagamootoo would be asking [Dr.] Ashni Singh a question about debt in our country—well let me answer him to say that the debt now is only 48 per cent of our GDP!”(Kaieteur News, March 5, 2013).
On the sugar industry:
“…we are moving to correct those mistakes and I have every confidence that it will realise its full potential in the not too distant future…The industry has to move to do things differently, and in any type of transition in this nature with such a huge industry, it creates some levels of difficulty.”(Kaieteur News, April 15, 2013).
“A large part of the problem with sugar has to do with the reorganization that has to take place in the sugar industry. It is very, very clear that we have to reorganize sugar. We have to… depend much, much more on mechanization at this point in time and some of that has caused some disruption, which is worrying, about the level of production. I’m told the next crop should be a better one but I have been told that before.” (Stabroek News, April 27, 2013).
On the National Assembly:
“I say very clearly that we have no confidence in the Speaker because he took a political decision and not a legal position.” (Stabroek News, November 27, 2012).
“That is not the function of the opposition. They must respect what is their role …I am making it very clear that I will not assent to any bill that they carry unless it is with the full agreement of the executive and the full involvement of the executive.”(Stabroek News, January 12, 2013).
On international relations:
“I don’t feel we should be lectured upon [by the USA]; I don’t think that anybody has the moral right to lecture upon us.” (Kaieteur News, April 27, 2013).
On public security:
“Recent incidents have not helped to enhance the image of the [Guyana Police] Force. Corruption [in the Force] must be dealt with condignly. You cannot deny that a few members of the Force have tarnished the good image of the organization by their involvement in corrupt activities.”(Kaieteur News, March 2, 2012).
On the labour movement:
“In my view, part of the reason for the division of the labour movement is that the movement is out of step with some of the realities of today.”(Stabroek News, May 2, 2013).

 

 

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