By Jomo Paul
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Former President, Donald Ramotar is far from amused over recent statements by Attorney General Basil Williams as it relates to turning Red House into a research facility for all of Guyana’s past Presidents.
Williams at a press conference on Wednesday, October 28 had dubbed the land deal under the People’s Progressive Party regime as illegal, contending that it amounts to misconduct and malfeasance of office.
The deal referred to saw the land that facilitates the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre being leased for $1000 per month for 99 years. The Attorney General claims that this is essentially a land transport and Government would be making steps to scrap the land deal.
But Ramotar in a telephone interview with iNews on Thursday, October 29, stated that if the government wants to establish research centres for other Former Presidents, it is free to do so, but not at the cost of the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre.
The former President made it explicitly clear that he was giving his own opinion stating, “If they want somewhere for Forbes Burnham and Desmond Hoyte, let them find another building. I am personally not in agreement with that.”
Defending his stance, Ramotar contended that Dr Jagan dwelled in that building hence it is the prime place to be used as a research centre for his work and life achievements.
“It is a living memorial for Dr Jagan,” Ramotar proclaimed adding “this is a place most appropriate for housing the works of Cheddi Jagan.”
He suggested that the Government look to the Castellani House or even the University of Guyana to erect a Presidential Research Centre, but not lay a finger on Red House.
“There is no shortage of places they can find,” he stated.
If this property belongs to the State,it must be used by the State.I believe this Coalition is within its rights to take what is State`s property,as the government of the day,especially where corrupt practices or illegalities occurred to get it,and irrespective of who resided there before.
I understand your plight , Dennis Mc Kenzie. I have a deep suspicion that you were one of the ones taken by Burnham to his slave camp at Hope Estate [ Sankar’s Estate. ] You cannot think for yourself although the truth is staring you in the face. I pity you. By the way is it true that the Kabaka used to clap lashes on your backs while riding around on his horse ?
Do ever heard a word called white mouth or kera badge swell belly or berri berri Burnham make guyanese people get them anyway indian didnot get so hard blacks get the hit many of go to sugar cane land to eat cane to get something in their belly and how many leave this land and send barrels to feed their love one how many leave this land that the born and to love had move to get food to eat just see more
bobby,I don`t bandy words with flies.
Where is joey have gone from the this place and to see what these people are doing to his father and his mother that make him what he is today shame shame ,or maybe he has a tooth pain and cannot talk and no more protest come on joey speak up try to save your family ties and history to know where you grow up
All the PPPC got to do is to relocate the jagan research center to jagan house wha he own and end of story. He live in red house but he Na own am.
Williams Adams may I remind you Cheddie was 100% Guyanese. This place is fitting towards his tribute. Let’s not tamper with our history. It can’t be called Presidents Research Centre. It certainly does not make sense.
DENNIS, WHY DO YOU CALL BURNHAM AND HOYTE THE BEST PRESIDENTS? IS IT BECAUSE BURNHAM GOT 91 PER CENT OF THE VOTES AT THE REFERENDUM AND TWO THIRDS MAJORITY AT THE GENERAL ELECTIONS? IS IT BECAUSE HOYTE DID BETTER THAN BURNHAM AT THE GENERAL ELECTIONS WITH 73 PER CENT OF THE POPULAR VOTES? SO, WHICH BURNHAM AND HOYTE PAPERS WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXHIBIT AT RED HOUSE? THE LORD AVESBURY REPORT WHICH STATED THAT THE 1973 ELECTIONS WERE ” AS CROOKED AS BARBED WIRE?” OR THE FILM ” THE TRAIL IF THE MISSING VOTES? ” OR “THE MAKING OF A PRIME MINISTER?”
I agree.
You are more stupid,blind and sly.You have a Coalition that comprises 6 parties and still calls it the PNC.Where ignorance is bliss,it`s folly to be wise.You will never learn.
bobby,you are so blind that you can`t even see the racism and dictatorship in both Jagdeo and Ramotar.WAKE UP,and smell the Kool-Aid that is waiting for you.
The Red House is already blighted with the appearance of Jagdeo and Ramotar on the scene.Burham and Hoyte are the two Presidents Guyana ever had,who were for all the people in this country.The other mesidents were racists in outlook.We don`t forget Apaan Jaat.
Cheddi Jagan always said that the battle is and will be at home.We have a lot of corrupted Minds and Souls in the APNU/AFC .They stole Political Power only to destroy this Country and the People are seeing this everyday.
What Williams should look after is the Sankar’s estate at Pln Hope . The racist Burnham seized this family estate without paying a single cent and converted it to state property–not a single cent for the largest coconut estate in this country. The Forbes Burnham Research Centre should be built there as testimony to the power exercised by a usurper of power. Also branches of the centre should be built at all the other private properties the dictator seized across the country including Toolsie Persaud ‘s land at Liliendal, E. C. D. I hope INEWS prints this comment.
Rajat and Naga even can steel from their mother who make them must less, others
Ramotar is, what he is, and one should not expect too much from him. Clamping down on ministerial corruption would have been a better tribute to Jagan. Jagan never sought to make himself a god unlike a certain ‘champion’ who is running round the country trying to fool the rural grassroots, while avoiding discussions about Pradoville II and the money Westford stole for the party (no way she would have dared steal so much for herself). Of course the cowardly and weak willed Ramotar did not have the guts to confront his colleagues on corruption.
If any past president deserves his own research centre it would be Guyana’s best ever president, the lion hearted Desmond Hoyte who was removed from office by entrenched ethnic voting patterns.
Well said….i am surprised that Ramoutar has an opinion on anything, especially since Jagdeo spoke for him while he was president.
PUTTING BURNHAM AND HOYTE PAPERS AT RED HOUSE WOULD ONLY BLIGHT THIS IMPORTANT HISTORICAL BUILDING. THE BEST PLACE FOR THESE ELECTION RIGGING PRESIDENTS IS CASTELLANI HOUSE AND / OR BELFIELD. BESIDES, WHEN THE PNC PEOPLE BEGIN TO VISIT RED HOUSE THEY WILL THIEF A LOT OF IMPORTANT PAPERS FROM THIS CENTRE .
Totally agreed with you President Ramotar. Dr. Jagan lived here while he was Premier for Guyana with his family. This place is fitting to be called The Cheddi Jagan Resarch Centre. This is our history that belongs to all of us regardless of political affiliation. There are other places this Colation can find for past Presidents if they so wish. We do not want this place shared with other past Presidents.
It seems that this is standard operating principle of the PPP. If it is not Pradoville it is Red Hose. These are properties of the PEOPLE OF GUYANA,not the membership of the upper echelons of the PPP. This group of people seem to think that they have some preferential status to take what they want from Guyana without any repercussions. Well what you have done is called stealing (in case you didn’t know) and there is a process in Guyana that thieves are subject to which usually concludes with free rent at Camp and Durban streets.
Mr. Ramotaur please be reminded that Red House is State property named as Cheddie Jagan Research Centre and as such it is incumbent on the executive to do what is justifiable to rename in the first instance or consider as a library for past presidents
The building is owned by the people of Guyana. Mr. Ramotar’s position on this is not unlike the position of the PPP Government with regard to the assets of the state. They seem to believe that they are entitled to enjoy the assets and resources of the state at the expense of others who they deem to be less equal
Regardless of the fact that Doctor Jagan lived there, the PPP did not own the building. Mr. Ramotar is arguing that the supporters of Mr Burnham are required to contribute to a building that discriminates against the leaders they support. This is so much in line with the apartheid praxis that streamlines the thought process of the PPP leadership assembly.
The APNU/AFC Regime is going around in circle.On to now they cannot figure out how to run a Country.All the time they just attacking the PPP/C.This is a Headless Govt.They cannot use their Brain but their mouth.What a shame!
Did this administration go to parliament to get parliamentary approval to raise their salaries and the other perks that go with them?
What a biased person you are!!
Donald,
Instead of ventilation of your unbridled ignorance, check the facts on the disposal of state property for partisan purposes. You are no longer the President and your corrupt tin cup is no longer carrying water for Guyana.
To use state property and resources to facilitate a CBJ research center requires parliamentary approval and not a mere executive decision. Did you not read like everybody else that the government was actually paying the salaries of employees who work at the center? Who approved the budget for that center? If not Parliament, then it was illegal!
Furthermore, to avoid any appearance of discrimination against other past presidents, a parliamentary decision should cater for research centers for all past presidents. You people really thought you owned the blasted government to do as you please, but that is why you failed to complete your first term.
The PPP sould finance and build their own research centre at their expense.
Yall stop with BS and hand back the RED HOUSE to the people of GUYANA
Mr Ramotor and the leaders of the PPP must stand firm and be resolute in opposing the suggestion made by Basil Williams. Once they get their way, it would not be a surprise if they go about changing the name of the airport as well. This current administration sledge hammer approach in governing the country is the signal of the return of the PNC dictatorial style of government.
Rumjattan and Nagga man should be ashamed of themselves to support such a move to take away RED HOUSE!! They were intimate in all of this and the people out there knows that..