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Ramkarran was never abused in the PPP- Rohee
By Abena Rockcliffe
General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Clement Rohee has refuted claims made
PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee
by his former comrade, Ralph Ramkarran, to the effect that he (Ramkarran) had been abused for many years in the PPP because he refused to humble himself to the powers that be, namely former President Bharrat Jagdeo.
In his latest column titled “Jagdeo and the PPP – lifestyle and politics” published on his website www.conversationtree.gy, Ramkarran made known the torture he went through during his later days spent as a member of the PPP.
Ramkarran said within the PPP, many intimidatory techniques exist, and those are mainly projected by Jagdeo. The former PPP executive member said, “Direct abuse is a major one. Subtle threats of dismissal from employment are another.”
He noted that most people have jobs with the party or government, which they need to secure for their livelihood. “This is enough to encourage silence…Dissentient voices have been effectively stilled in the PPP, even though Jagdeo is widely criticized privately. This is the answer to the question often asked: how is it that Jagdeo has got such a hold over the PPP that no one dares to oppose him?”
Ramkarran said that he spoke out for years in the PPP, “subjecting myself to intense abuse and isolation, until it became necessary to ensure that I no longer remain within its ranks. No one else has so far dared to oppose Jagdeo.”
Ramkarran also made reference to the fact that PPP allowed weeks to pass before defending the legacy of PPP founder, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, which he said was tainted by Jagdeo in his attempt to justify his Cadillac lifestyle.
Ralph Ramkarran
The former PPP stalwart said, “As expected the General Secretary of the PPP, Clement Rohee, refused to comment on the controversy, just as the previous General Secretary, Donald Ramotar, refused to comment on Jagdeo’s insult to Mrs. Jagan when she called for a restoration of advertisements to the SN in 2006. No one in the PPP will now ever be able to speak to the Jagans’ simple and humble lifestyle, and urge its emulation, for fear of offending Jagdeo. ..Jagdeo said that their lifestyle was luxurious. No one in the PPP can now ever dare to say otherwise.”
Ramkarran then went on to say that “Jagdeo is in full command and control of the PPP.”
But as he hosted PPP’s press conference on Monday last, Rohee said that most of what Ramkarran stated in his column is incorrect.
He told the media that no dissenting voices have been stilled, and said that Ramkarran must have lost touch with the customs and practices of the PPP. Rohee also claimed that democracy still exists within the PPP and the voices of those who form part of the PPP are heard at all levels of membership.
The General Secretary said that he is amazed that Ramkarran would allege that he was abused in the PPP. He said the PPP managed to stay alive so long because it encourages members from top to bottom to have a say.
“It is almost impossible for this PPP to have survived over these years without allowing that kind of robust intense debate to take place within the party,” said Rohee.
He continued, “I personally do not recall any of the situations or experiences Ramkarran is referring to and I have been in this party since I was 17 years old.”
“I think I can define properly and I think I can put in perspective by definition what is meant by abuse. I do not recall seeing anything of that nature in respect of Mr. Ramkarran. If you were to ask me if there were strong and combative views between himself and any member of the party leadership, I would be the last to deny that that was so. That is a matter of course within the leadership of the party,” Rohee asserted.
He said that the PPP has a tradition called democratic centralism, where after the matter has been discussed at length a decision is arrived at by the majority, and those who are in minority have to “subject themselves” to the decision of the majority.
He also said, “Sometimes there are people who cannot subject themselves to the majority view; they think their view is the right view. We all suffer from this from time to time and the majority of the party was not prepared at that time to go along with his (Ramkarran’s) suggestions; every suggestion has it time
Rohee also refuted Ramkarran’s claim that Jagdeo is in full control of the PPP. He told Kaieteur News that the affairs of the PPP are in the hands of Central Committee, the Executive Committee and the Secretariat.
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