Donald Ramotar and Cleopatra’s nose

Jan 21, 2016 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

The most popular story in the annals of accidents that changed the course of history is the aphorism of Cleopatra’s nose (see my column, “Cleopatra’s nose in Guyana, January 9, 2013). Marc Anthony fell in love with her because her long nose enhanced her beauty. What if the Egyptian queen had a shorter organ?
Very few scholars would dismiss the role of luck and accidents in how history evolved. There is a book titled, “Cleopatra’s Nose” by Daniel Boorstin on how accidents and incidents changed the course of American history. It would be interesting to apply the Cleopatra aphorism to Guyana.
In the midst of an intriguing political dynamic, Winston Murray died. If Murray was alive was it possible that an African party, the PNC would have made history by having an East Indian leader? If Jagan had lived until old age forced his resignation, Guyana would never have had a President named Bharrat Jagdeo. If Hoyte didn’t suffer a heart attack, was it possible that Guyana would have experienced a violent confrontation between the PNC and the PPP government that would have taken us back to the sixties?
In the evolution of global history, many leaders became powerful because accidents created the circumstances. Were there not these surprises, history probably would have been different in most countries of the world.
I will always remember that the United States may never have had the Bush family in the White House if Gary Hart’s extra-marital affair was not revealed. Hart was the clear favourite to beat George W. H. Bush
If the PPP never returns to power, one can attribute the cause to Donald Ramotar. My analysis puts the PPP at a disturbing disadvantage because the PPP just will not have the numbers to win any longer. It looks like racial voting will continue way beyond the next General Elections. If the PPP runs against the PNC and collects every Indian vote, it cannot take the PPP over the fifty percent mark.
If it is a straight fight between PNC and PPP and every Indian roots for the PPP and every African votes for the PNC, the Amerindians are likely to vote for the Ministers who are in power. Then the mix race swing vote will not choose the PPP. If the race is three-way again –AFC, PPP, APNU –- there will be a minority government. The future scenario does not look good for the PPP.
In this context, Donald Ramotar will occupy a place of infamy. Had jagdeo allowed a secret ballot in 2011, Ralph Ramkarran would have become the PPP candidate and Moses Nagamootoo would have stayed with the PPP. Ramkarran would not have encountered the hostility Jagdeo and Ramotar faced from Berbicians in the 2001 General Elections.
With Nagamootoo by its side in 2001 and with Ramkarran having no serious baggage, the PPP would have come in at around 51 percent giving it a majority. That was not to be. Jagdeo bulldozed Ramotar into the presidential slot.
PPP leaders who told Ramkarran in 2001 that Ramotar was a non-starter for the 2001 elections are now denying that they told Ramkarran this. You have to be a fool to think that they would acknowledge what they told Ramkarran. They are still in the PPP’s hierarchy and at the top of that pyramid is their leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.
To concede that they did confide to Ramkarran that Jagdeo engineered the Ramotar presidential candidacy is to gravely embarrass Jagdeo. No doubt they were advised to reject Ramkarran’s disclosure. There can be no doubt about it; the PPP and Guyanese politics would have taken a different shape if Ramotar was not elevated by Jagdeo.
Donald Ramotar was never leadership material. Though Jagdeo could not have allowed Ramkarran to become President because he couldn’t control Ramkarran from behind the scenes, Jagdeo erred disastrously in maneuvering Ramotar to head the PPP list in 2001. There were others who possessed more marketability than Ramotar, but Jagdeo felt that Ramotar would be more pliable.
It turned out to be perhaps the second greatest mistake by a PPP leader after Jagan’s suicidal communist fanaticism during the Cold War.
When Ramotar’s name was announced two contrasting emotions came to the surface. Moses Nagamootoo was laughing all the way to the bank. He knew he could out poll Ramotar. He knew the inherent weaknesses of Ramotar and that he could easily beat him. Ramkarran on the other hand was smothered with angst. He knew he could have pulled off a victory for the PPP but with Ramotar in the picture, the results were unpredictable. Only Jagdeo couldn’t see Ramotar was a non-starter. The rest is now history.

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Donald Ramotar and Cleopatra’s nose

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