Why was Rajendra Bisessar betrayed and under-utilised for so long?

May 14, 2019 Letters

---

DEAR EDITOR,

In his column on April 27th Freddie Kissoon wrote, “This columnist knows that shortly after 2015, the second-tier leadership of the AFC argued for a junior minister of agriculture. Rajendra Bisessar of the AFC was identified for such a post but he did not have total support within the AFC’s leadership. When his name reached Granger, he was rejected. Bisessar writes letters in the newspapers often so I will hope he replies to this and clarify what is written here about him.
In 2016, two senior second-tier leaders in the AFC – Leonard Craig and current General-Secretary, Marlon Williams — took serious steps to have the AFC decide on a junior minister of agriculture.
A dialogue took place with Minister Holder. Both Holder and the AFC rejected the attempts of these two men. It would be interesting to hear the reaction of both of them to what is written here”.
I know that my husband would not reply. While he was in the PPP and was marginalised, he was still loyal and defended the PPP in public. He criticised internally and was marginalised. All who placed themselves as presidential candidate recently know they got there because Rajendra and others were marginalised.
Rajendra did not criticise the PPP publicly because there was no alternative but when the AFC came on the scene, he put his faith in the AFC especially Moses and Ramjattan. He really felt they would hold the PNC accountable. I know he is very disappointed.
Now he criticizes the Coalition internally and is not going public because he does not see an acceptable alternative for the PPP leaders have not shown that they have changed especially because of the choice of Presidential candidate and how he was chosen.
As his wife, I of all persons, would know the sacrifices that he made especially since this placed a lot of pressure on my person. I however supported him fully. I knew him since I was a pioneer in the PPP. I remember him being very hairy with a Castro like beard. He was a person who would always struggle against injustice and he has a history of suffering because of it.
But to go back to the matter raised by Freddie. When Rajendra went over to the AFC, he did not demand anything. It came as a pleasant surprise when his name was proposed for junior minister. This proposal was accepted by everyone, the entire leadership. No one opposed.
I am aware that the President indicated that three Ministries were to have junior Ministers and Agriculture was one.
Moses Nagamootoo was the one who took all decisions to His Excellency the President and he indicated that he did. The news went out. I was being congratulated, left right and centre. Many felt that Rajendra deserved this and they felt that he would have done well. I felt he would have, given his concerns for Guyana, especially the working class. Actually one of the persons from the APNU, now a minister, said that he was surprised that Rajendra was not appointed senior minister.
At this point in time, I would make no further comments. It is the leaders of the AFC and the President who should be able to say exactly why my husband was never appointed junior minister and for four years there was none. I know my husband never went public.
I was surprised also that he was never selected to be on either the Rice Board or the GuySuCo board. I know that he is quite knowledgeable about rice and sugar among other things.
I wondered how the leadership of both the AFC and the Coalition would not include someone like Rajendra who has a lot of experience being on a number of boards in the past, the Guyana Tourism Authority, the Guyana Cooperative Insurance Service, the Bermine Board, and the National Park Commission. He was also advisor to the Minister of Human Service, and Labour and Personal Assistant to President Bharrat Jagdeo. He was also a SIMAP community development Officer and prior to that a teacher. As a member of the PPP and PYO, he represented the PYO and students internationally at congresses and executive meetings of the International Union of Students and the World Federation of Democratic youths.
He is the holder of a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and an LLB and was a columnist in the KN news where he wrote on economical, political and social issues.
I can go on and on; however, I believe this is enough at this point in time. It is in the hands of Moses, the leadership of the AFC and the President to explain why a phenomenal person with a wealth of experience, a vast educational background and one who is very patriotic was so betrayed and under-utilised.
When I learnt of the appointment of a junior Minister and who it was four years after, I was, to say the least, flabbergasted.
And I would like to ask who is the person appointed Minister of Business? Never heard of him!

Christine Bisessar

---

---