Ramjattan rejects Jagdeo’s claim to usefulness in Oil Sector

Apr 04, 2019 News

Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan

Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan has responded to claims made by Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, that he has amassed enough policymaking experience and institutional knowledge to make a positive difference in Guyana’s budding oil and gas sector.
Ramjattan is of the opinion that Jagdeo’s policymaking experience is replaceable, and that his claim to usefulness in Guyana’s budding oil and gas industry is unfounded.
Jagdeo had said, “I don’t mind folding up my sleeves and working in a dark room to just see that we create a framework that the oil money would be managed by all Guyanese, to avoid the Dutch Disease.”
He claimed that through his travels to countries that have oil, including Angola, Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, as well as his exposure to their experiences, he has amassed the institutional knowledge needed to ensure Guyana doesn’t fall prey to the resource curse.
“I believe that I have a role to play,” he had said.
However, at yesterday’s impromptu Alliance For Change (AFC) meeting in Bartica, Ramjattan was asked whether he would consider working with or learning from Jagdeo, given his touted usefulness to the oil sector. He rejected Jagdeo’s assertion.
According to Ramjattan, the former President has actually shown himself to be the opposite of beneficial to the country. He said, “If we were to take the examples of what he did in relation to a major sector called sugar, we shouldn’t be dealing with him at all.”
He said that Jagdeo contributed to the collapse of the sugar industry, even though Jagdeo and quite a few other members of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) have experience in that sector.
“[PPP members] have a lot of big sugar history, with Guyana Agricultural and General Workers’ Union (GAWU) and The National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees (NAACIE), all their supporting unions and arms, and of course, the great (Dr. Cheddi) Jagan.”
Ramjattan said that Jagdeo, as President, was so unsuccessful in his handling of the sugar industry, because, when the current administration assumed power, “we had to bail it out to right size it.”
He said that the cause of the industry’s failure was bad management by GuySuCo (Guyana Sugar Corporation) and the PPP.
Additionally, Ramjattan said that much of the policymaking experience that Jagdeo touts is mirrored, or even magnified in the coalition, since the current Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, was hired by Jagdeo when he was President, to work on budgets.
“Jordan was his budget director in the PPP days. Winston Jordan used to be the one preparing the budget and giving major policy orientations behind the scene. He was a major lecturer at the University of Guyana. Bharrat Jagdeo, when he became President, brought in this man to help him.”
He said that if anyone should be touted as having necessary policymaking experience, it would be Winston Jordan.
Even on Jagdeo’s claim of learning from oil-based economies, Ramjattan said that that is inconsequential, since the government has relied on experts from countries such as Norway, Canada and America to assist with the development of the sector.
He also brought attention to the fact that Jagdeo has already served two terms as president, saying that he should step aside and give other people a chance to work.

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