RAMJATTAN CONTINUES TO DAMAGE HIS CREDIBILITY

Jul 11, 2017 Letters

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Dear Editor,
I believe that Guyana needs our prayers and that we need to unite. That was my first comment Sunday night. But I will not allow Khemraj Ramjattan to get away with his abominable attack on SUGAR and sugar workers. He MUST apologize immediately to the sugar workers.
Ramjattan in his first appearance as the catastrophic event at the Camp Street Prison escalated last night defended himself by blaming SUGAR. It was the most ludicrous thing I have heard yet from this government. This Minister who is the highest paid Minister of Public Security, whose budget for his Ministry is the highest ever, whose Ministry employs the largest staff in the history of the Ministry of Public Security in Guyana, was AWOL, missing in action in the first hours of the crisis. When he did appear hours after the crisis had escalated, he took time to blame poor sugar workers and to take a side-swipe at the PPP. He claimed he needed more money for his Ministry, but APNU+AFC could not invest enough money into the Ministry because the money was diverted to sugar.
Ramjattan’s first response was another betrayal of sugar workers who are responsible for him and Nagamootoo enjoying the life of a king. He did not admit that sugar was being repaid for the more than $100B taken from sugar in the 1970s and 1980s. He ignored the almost $35B (almost $10B since 2015) sugar brought into the consolidated fund from the EU as earnings from the sugar protocol. He ignored SUGAR’s expenditure on drainage and irrigation and on recreation, housing, water, street developments and health. Sugar did not get a handout under the PPP or under APNU+AFC.
His attack on SUGAR was reprehensible, repugnant and an absolute betrayal from someone who persuaded sugar workers before 2015 that he was one of their champions. This is a man who promised sugar workers a 20% increase, no sugar estate would be closed and in its time of difficulty he would ensure that his government provides repayments to GUYSUCO to help it cope with its difficulties. Now that some of those sugar workers took him at his word and gave him and APNU+AFC a chance to govern, he blames them for his incompetence and his cluelessness. The call for Ramjattan’s resignation is justifiable. SUGAR is innocent and has nothing to do with what happened at Camp Street yesterday
Ramjattan did not mention APNU+AFC has been collecting more in taxes than ever before because of 200 additional taxes. He did not mention the savings they got from denying pensioners the water and electricity subsidies and the children their $10,000 per year per child grant. Ramjattan did not mention the more than $3B annual subsidy for electricity that go to Linden annually.
In fact, when Government in 2012 wanted to reduce that subsidy to increase expenditure for improving electricity supply around the country, he himself was a part of the agitators that caused the deadly Linden protest. SUGAR is responsible for floods, spiraling crime, APNU+AFC’s breaking their promise to public servants for wage and salary increases. Now the calamity at Camp Street Prison is because of SUGAR.
Ramjattan disgraced and humiliated himself even as the security forces, including the prison officers, police and firemen, were heroically saving lives of prisoners and protecting people. Given the magnitude of the fire and the threat of prisoners on the loose, the security forces must be commended for the herculean task of rescuing and gathering the prisoners and at the same time preventing the fire from engulfing civilian buildings in the neighborhood.
Their professionalism and efficiency were in stark contrast to the ineptitude displayed by their political leadership. It took the President almost eight hours to make a statement, by which time the prison buildings were already razed to the ground and fear stalked the land. The Prime Minister, the Attorney General and others were conspicuous by their absence.
Whatever happen in the aftermath of the July 2017 Camp Street Prison fire, including the inevitable COI, Ramjattan’s leadership was palpably weak, flawed, incompetent and egregious, He disgraced and humiliated himself. He was absolutely clueless, flailing like a beached whale, desperate, hopeless and clutching at a straw. If it were left to the Guyanese people, he would be dumped now. There could not be a greater reason for resignation than another deadly fire at the Camp Street Prison so soon.
David Granger and his PNC and APNU colleagues when they were in Opposition demanded the resignation of Clement Rohee for a deadly protest that APNU and AFC started and stirred. Worst yet, the most vocal person that called for Rohee’s resignation, not just for the deadly Linden protest, but for every road fatality, was Ramjattan. If the cap fits you, wear it. The cap fits Ramjattan. If he applies the standards he passionately advocated for Rohee, he will RESIGN now.
But President Granger in justifying the enormous pay rise early in their tenure argued that it was needed to prevent corruption and to recruit the most competent Cabinet, He had promised people that Ministers who proved incompetent and unable to efficiently administer their sector would be dismissed. Granger has been AWOL, missing in action, as corruption swamps his administration and as incompetence bedevil our country bringing agony to people everywhere. Granger must act on behalf of the people.
We are certain that he will appoint another COI, costing more money and occupying the time of people, money and time wasted. The COI will not be in the interest of the Guyanese people, but another excuse for a payday for friends and family. What he needs to do is fire Ramjattan. He fired Roopnarine for much less. What will it take for him to let Ramjattan go?
Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

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