Latest update October 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 28, 2017 Letters
Dear Editor,
When I read Mr Ralph Ramkarran’s Blog, ‘The Conversation Tree’ on “The Fall of the PPP” I am bewildered as to why the Leader of the Opposition is still hell-bent on accelerating this downward slide of the PPP.
In his Blog, Mr Ramkarran unequivocally stated that, ‘The ambitious Bharrat Jagdeo…had his own plans for personal greatness, which precluded the sharing of political power…by 2006 he was the master of the universe…devoting his energies to micromanaging, manipulating, dominating…ensuring post-presidential authority and control by engineering the presidential candidacy of Donald Ramotar. But by then the PPP’s leadership has been tarnished and its image sullied’.
Jagdeo’s band of ‘loyal lieutenants’ as Mr Ramkarran described them have shown that they are no less than their scheming general. In all the Regions, especially Region Six, I have witnessed this type of ‘micromanaging’ of the RDC and the NDCs by three senior PPP officials who have used the various caucuses to ‘manipulate and dominate’ these bodies.
Sadly, they are now moving to ‘engineer and control’ the remaining Chairpersons and the Vice Chairpersons who have staged a long battle to remain as independent thinkers and to put the development of the Region and their communities as their priority. This is an exact strategy taken from the Jagdeo’s ‘Power Manual’.
The election of the Chairpersons will take place some time in December but a month ago, the two ‘Mutt and Jeff’ from the PPP became busy. They have already decided who are not ‘political’ enough or who cannot be easily controlled and manipulated.
The names of the current Regional Chairman, Mr David Armogan, the Kilcoy/Hampshire NDC Chairman, Mr Haseef Yusuf, and the Chairman of the #52/74 NDC Mr Hemraj Ghansham, the Chairperson for Crabwood Creek NDC, Ms Ramela Bhadrasain , among others have been analysed.
This is totally against the spirit and letter of the relevant local government laws (Chapter 20:02 Section 28) which made it clear that an election held not later than December 16 and comprising the councillors will decide this process. In this case, a political directive is given by Mr Zamal Hussain, Mr Zulfikar Mustapha and Mr Dennis Deroop to the councillors of the various NDCs as to who they should vote for.
It is a clear indication that efficiency and effectives in running the NDC have nothing to do with this decision. It is all about total control, the RDC and NDCS, there is no room for independence. Whatever is done at the RDC and NDC must be sanctioned by the PPP and it is always about the ‘political twist’.
This is yet another example of how the PPP is killing development in Region Six. Some of the councillors appointed by the PPP cannot even read or write and this again is a violation of the local government laws. How can we speak about empowerment when the NDCs are puppets of the PPP?
It is a shame and an ignominy that the PPP officials in Region Six would have wanted to gain political mileage for the now infamous pothole at #59Village which allegedly caused the horrific accident that claimed five lives.
After that accident, the Overseer of the #52/74 NDC went to fix the pothole but was instructed by the Chairman that he allegedly had a directive from some PPP officials that the NDC should not fix the pothole since that was the work of the Public Infrastructure Ministry.
A businessman then offered to fix the pothole but was stopped by the NDC from doing the work which will not even cost $10,000. The police came to supervise the work and had to leave. Then the Overseer insisted that the NDC must do the work and it was eventually done for about $7,000.
Can you imagine the low level to which these PPP officials can stoop just to make this Government look bad? I do hope that the NDC Chairman will not refuse to sign the voucher for payment. It is a disgrace how these PPP officials are willing to allow more fatalities in deterring the NDC from spending a measly $7,000.
It is a cruel lesson for all to see how much the PPP ‘cares’ for the lives of the people of this country.
Another issue which is killing development is the directive from the PPP that the NDCs should not raise the rates and taxes even though many huge property owners are paying between $200 and $2,500 per year. This is compounded by the fact that many new housing schemes are still not paying rates and taxes for a number of years now since they have not been officially handed over to the NDCs.
This is why these NDCs cannot do any kind of capital works and have to depend solely on the RDC or the Central Government. These NDCs have become like Guysuco, depending on Government for subventions and other inputs.
How can we speak about empowerment when the NDCs are so dependent on handouts from the Government? The people of Region 6 are getting smart and they know the strategy employed by the PPP.
In closing, while Bharrat Jagdeo is walking the length and breadth of the country trying to woo supporters and members from APNU and AFC, while his ‘loyal lieutenants’ are busy chasing away its current crop of members and supporters because of their need to exercise ‘absolute power’ and to share the ‘spoils of war’, not unlike their General.
If Jagdeo does not change the methodology of these ‘loyal lieutenants’ then there is no hope for the PPP in 2020 or even beyond.
Raj Lakram
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‘In closing, while Bharrat Jagdeo is walking the length and breadth of the country trying to woo supporters and members from APNU and AFC, while his ‘loyal lieutenants’ are busy chasing away its current crop of members and supporters because of their need to exercise ‘absolute power’ and to share the ‘spoils of war’, not unlike their General.’
Then from your own words others than Jagdeo to be blamed here, so, what are you up to with your
‘If Jagdeo does not change the methodology of these ‘loyal lieutenants’ then there is no hope for the PPP in 2020 or even beyond.’?
Please come clean