The Charrandass/Ramjattan libel: The mysterious part

Jul 29, 2022 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

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Kaieteur News – My co-host on the Gildarie-Freddie Show, Leonard Gildarie asked me on air if I was being paid by the PPP. Leonard said he has heard snippets of that talk from my detractors. Not only Leonard has but I have read it too on social media by people who are anti-government.

The bribery allegations against Charandass Persaud exposed a huge racial and psychology dimension of this society that lies at the heart of the philosophical foundation of any society. What Charran did was normal and common in society and the examples from the past, the contemporary world and current world are countless – people vote against their own party in power because of principles, conscience or rejection of the negative directions of their party.

I saw no difference with Charran. At the time of voting, he was a long standing friend that I have known personally for over 20 years. Charran told me for reason of deep conscience, he wanted the AFC to fall because he felt AFC was absolutely no good and had betrayed the Guyanese people.

Hundreds of parliamentarians and American legislators in the past held that feeling and voted against their government. In the case of the UK, it toppled the then serving Prime Minister, Theresa May. Two nights before the vote, I confided Charran’s intention to AFC parliamentarian Michael Carrington on Demico Roof Garden. Months before the vote, I confided that information to David Hinds at Nicky’s Fish Shop.

What Charran did in voting against his own ruling party was perfectly normal; I repeat the adverb, perfectly. The next day, allegations of bribery saturated the state-owned newspaper, electronic media and social media. The then Minister of Public Security, spoke openly about Charran’s acceptance of bribery.  He told the nation he has information in relation to gold enquiries, Chronicle columnist, Barrington Braithwaite explained the reason for Charran’s temptation.  The then Commissioner of Police, told the press that Charran was being investigated for national security reasons.

If Charran’s vote was the first bombshell in the APNU+AFC physiology, in March 2020, came another. In the midst of the election rigging, the son-in-law of the president and one of the top leaders of the AFC denounced the election rigging. His exclamation drove the final nail in the coffin.

To date, no one, I repeat, no one, not one human in this country and abroad has even hinted that Mr. Gaskin was compromised. But Charran was accused of taking a bribe and I am in the pay of the PPP. For a description of the juxtaposition of Gaskin on the one hand, and me and Charran on the other, please see the following columns of mine.

Tuesday, September 7, 2021, “The Dominic Gaskin story: A curious inexplicability.” Sunday, September 26, 2021, “Two psychological dimensions of March 2020 that are simply frightening.” Thursday, October 21, 2021,”Charrandass Persaud and Dominic Gaskin: Ethnic signposts,” Friday, January 28, 2022, “Kissoon, Gaskin, Roopnaraine: More notes on race and class.”

This week, the libel writ that Charran brought against Ramjattan was completed in the High Court with Charran being awarded 7 million dollars. Two curiosities or maybe mysteries are contained in that trial. Ramjattan, who was in charge of national security, offered no evidence even circumstantial to the court. Yet this was the man who told the nation he knew about what Charran took.

No witness was called to present even the thinnest of evidence against Charran. This compels you to ask if Ramjattan knew anything he was talking against Charran after the no-confidence vote. The second mystery is why Ramjattan did not summon Mr. James to give evidence. If any two persons could have known about the bribery process at the time, it would have been the minister in charge of national security and the police chief.

The libel lost by Ramjattan symbolises a certain mind set in this country where based on your class position, you are disrespected and are accused of not having any semblance of concretised character. No one accused Mr. Gaskin of financial temptation but Charran was. And I am accused of being in the pay of the PPP. I wrote publicly that President Ali asked me how I could serve his government. I declined in favour of a younger person holding any position, I was interested in.

Unlike two persons who denounced the election rigging then asked the PPP leadership for top positions in government, were refused, and are now hectic anti-government critics, I asked the government for nothing for myself after August 2020. I see no reason to criticise Dr. Ali as yet. I believe he is heading in the right direction. Why can’t I take that position out of conscience rather than for the lust for money?

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

 

 

 

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