Ravi Dev is no liar

Jun 26, 2021 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

I write in response to retort by Ogunseye “Dev’s narration of the collapse of the Centre Force movement is self-serving” (Jun 24) in reply to claims made by Dev (Jun 23). To wit, he called Ravi Dev a liar (Jun 24) –his description of Ravi’s account of discussions held with Roopnarine, Dr. Rodney’s comrade in arms against the Burnham dictatorship. Ogunseye was not privy to the conversations held by Dev with Roopnarine and others. Thus, he was in no position to lend validity (or lack thereof) of an account from either side. Roopnarine and others Dev interacted with have not disputed the account. Thus, Ravi’s account stands.
I was not present when discussions were held between Roopnarine and Dev and others on the proposed Rodney inquiry, and thus I too am in no position to say that WPA scuttled an early inquiry into Rodney’s assassination by the Burnham regime. But the Ravi I have known since around 1985 has not acquired a reputation to lie or mislead the public.
He was and still is a trusted figure. He was very sympathetic with the WPA. He worked closely with Lincoln VanSluytman and Singh (lead organiser of WPA in NY). And when he re-migrated to Guyana round 1989, he spent considerable time at Rodney’s House. I accompanied him several times in talks with Roopnarine, Eusi Kwayana, Wazir Mohammed, Moses Bhagwan. I remember several of those meetings including several I held on my own with those respectable figures. (I also remember very well seeing Ogunseye at Rodney House always engaged and dressed in African wear although we hardly had any engagement).
Like me, Dev wanted the truth to come out on Rodney’s assassination. He used his presence in parliament to champion an inquiry, which he claims was scuttled by the WPA. I do not think he would lie or present a fictitious account of engagements with WPA people.

Yours truly,
Vishnu Bisram

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