[www.inewsguyana.com] – Former Executive Member of the People’s Progressive Party, Ralph Ramkarran has revealed that former President Donald Ramotar only received nine out of 35 votes within the Party’s executive to return to the National Assembly as Opposition Leader.
Ramkarran made the disclosure in his weekly blog, where he detailed that the PPP has lost its way by choosing Former President Bharrat Jagdeo to be opposition Leader, noting that the young Members of Parliament will merely be “window dressing.”
See the full context of Ramkarran’s blog below.
The selection of Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo by the Central Committee of the PPP as its nominee for Opposition Leader seals that party’s fate in opposition for decades to come, unless the APNU+AFC coalition under performs or unravels. The PPP has been shattered by defeat, its leadership disgraced by corruption and it has lost the sympathy of the international community through abuse, corruption and the refusal to hold local government elections.
With no intention by the ruling clique of giving up power, the return of its younger MPs and a sprinkling of new faces to Parliament, would be mere window dressing. This new generation of leaders stands no chance of influencing policy to rebuild the PPP or unite the country. The recently expressed views by Dr. Vindhi Persaud as to the way forward for the PPP in her recently published email and its rejection symbolise the impotence that this group will face.
Dr. Jagdeo’s name emerged initially from among the ruling clique in the Executive Committee. In the contest between Dr. Jagdeo and Mr. Ramotar at the Central Committee, Donald Ramotar received only 9 votes of 35 voting members. It must have been hugely embarrassing. Being fought down by Dr. Jagdeo, his mentor, at whose instance, and not through popular sentiment, he became the presidential candidate in 2011, would have been a bitter pill to swallow, especially since he is the immediate past president.
Worse was the virtual abandonment of him by the Central Committee of which he was general secretary for 15 years. Mr. Ramotar ignored the fact that Dr. Jagdeo’s insatiable ego cannot be satisfied by fraternal considerations or rational calculations. In any event, Mr. Ramotar apparently did not realize that with the loss of two elections and Dr. Jagdeo’s grip on the leadership, his political career was over.
Mr. Ramotar long ago ceded authority to Dr. Jagdeo. He therefore has no one but himself to blame for his loss of influence in the Central Committee. Mr. Ramotar may accept the humiliation of rejection and soldier on with diminished influence, likely without a Parliamentary seat, as he would have to bear the embarrassment of an immediate past president sitting at third place behind Dr. Jagdeo and Mr. Rohee. He would justify continued low-level activism by deluding himself that he is maintaining party unity. This has always been the answer to his failure to respond to Dr. Jagdeo’s most egregious behavior. This silent approbation allowed serious schisms to arise within the Party, which remained unaddressed.
The worst was the resignations of Ramjattan and Nagamootoo that led directly to the PPP’s loss of power. This damage to the PPP, Mr. Ramotar’s ill-fated decision to seek the candidacy for president in 2011, despite Dr. Jagdeo’s support and the ruling clique’s rejection of a national unity government, have together brought the PPP to its knees.
In his early fifties, Dr. Jagdeo will retain his hold on the leadership for at least the next 20 years, while still trying to secure a third term. He never intended to stand aside despite his promises. It means that an entire generation of younger leaders will have no chance of aspiring to leadership or influencing the party’s direction. Since the spoils of office are no longer available to be granted or taken away, there would be a limit to the success of his methods of leadership. In any event his continued grip on power and greed for the limelight will smother younger leaders and denude the PPP of talent, leaving it with sycophants and as an ineffective opposition force. Eventually, he will again choose the next leader.
By electing Dr. Jagdeo, the Central Committee seems prepared to abide by his methods of abuse, control and sycophancy. He sees himself as the most gifted and charismatic intellect and strategist who will save the PPP and Guyana. His and the leadership’s vision is of a ceaseless ‘struggle’ against the ‘PNC’ and ‘rigged elections’ and no compromise with the ‘de facto government.’ Primary to the strategy will be a defence of his record – what he would pompously refer to as his legacy. He will also try to convince supporters that they were robbed thereby perpetuating a sense of victimhood. This will ensure the persistence of the national ethnic contest. Exploited so effectively in the campaign, the PPP no doubt now sees as the strategy of choice.
The PPP has made, arguably, the most egregious blunder in its entire history by failing to implement Cheddi Jagan’s ‘shared governance’ or ‘winner does not take all’ policies in political conditions in 2011 where it could have been easily sold to its supporters. The PPP would have had to make fundamental concessions and share power in circumstances of equality where it would not ‘dominate or be dominated’ – a policy also advocated by Jagan.
The national unity thereby created would have transformed Guyana and revolutionized our politics. Our nation would once again have been able to aspire to 1950 and bring within reach our motto of ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny.’ But President Ramotar had made it plain in 2011 that power sharing ‘would not happen.’ The ruling clique of the PPP has deliberately killed the dream of unity and is on its way to Parliament to bury it.
Bobby I must give you an A for your honesty however I am obligated to respond to two points you made about me. Correct me if I’m wrong I’m of the view that you are not residing in North America because if you do you would be aware that it is common to encounter
Persons with double
Majors doctors that are lawyers and so on it is common place here
Persons having skills and degrees in
Multiple
Disciplines. Secondly not in a hundred years will I envy jadgeo I would kill myself if I were him. So bobby you are wrong again.
NEVER !!!
veronika , I agree that a Honorary Degree is bestowed but a university carefully considers the achievements of a candidate before awarding its degrees to them . To be awarded even one Doctorate degree should be considered a great achievement. What about being awarded five Honorary Doctorate degrees? Isn’t it an extra ordinary achievement for anyone in any part of the world ? In fact I don’t know of any other Caribbean citizen who was given so many awards. Come on veronica , we can differ in our politics but we must learn to give Dr. Jagdeo his jacket.
claudeston messiah : I will give you an honest answer to your question . I did not make it out of primary school, but left one year before the highest class, which was called Sixth Standard. Also, I must admit my ignorance of a lot of things, meaning there are a lot of things I do not know. But I must thank you for teaching me the meaning of ” an educated ass.” Would you not be humble and admit that you wasted your time in America ? Instead of ” burning the midnight oil ” to get two Bachelors in English and Business and then a MBA with a speciality in Mediation ,wouldn’t it have been better for you to study in one field for one Bachelor’s , a Master’s Degree, and the a Doctorate Degree ? By then you may not have envied Dr. Jagdeo for being awarded his Honorary Doctorate degrees. What are you doing with your life now claudeston? I always suspect people who shout ” thief ! thief ! thief!” without bringing any evidence to support their allegations are themselves bigger thieves than what they make out others to be. I hope I am wrong this time.
Bobby, an honorary degree is just that, honorary….bestowed onto someone rather than actually read the subject and awarded the degree….either way Jagdeo and his 3rd class degree from god knows where means nothing…
You brown nose jackass bobby for your information I did not waste my time in America. I hold two Bachelor degrees in English and Business and a MBA with a specialty in Mediation. What do you have you ignoramus. You have to be ignorant to support that disgrace jadgeo. And again none of those are earned. As I have said they were given to him like everything he has and the next half he hustled from the hard working Guyanese people. What is your level of education bobby? Did you even make it out of primary school.
Really, no doubt from that comment you are a APNU/AFC hater..
Mr Barrat Jagdeo has a great opportunity when he was president to move Guyana forward but he lack of leadership they knew the demographic So they divided the country racially they never try promote diversity and bring Guyanese together he fail to understand as smart as he think he is thats not how democracy works he micromanage the government who don’t like his ways he kick to the curb the biggest reason for Guyana failure is because its racially divided this has to change thru Education we are all Guyanese we need each other to have a strong Guyana Lets not takes side but do what’s right for this beautiful country of ours
bobby whatever thepppc and jagdeo gave you to drink you should bottle it and sell it to the drug dealers, it would be considered better than cocaine, because the height’s you are on is incredible, I hope all of you pppc supporters will run to bail jagdeo out when the US marshall’s come calling for him
claudeston massiah: if you do not agree with the five universities that awarded Dr. Jagdeo his Honorary Doctorate degrees, why not write a petition requesting them to revoke these awards? I’m sure you ‘ll be looking like a big fool, as you won’t be able to write a proper letter to these scholarly persons. They will simply ask,” who is this nonentity who is telling us not to give our Honorary Doctorate degree to Dr. Jagdeo?” Further you abuse the freedom of expression that Dr. Jagdeo’s party fought for and won for you and all Guyanese . Can you provide even one bit of evidence to prove that Dr. Jagdeo is a hustler/ crook? I will contend that not even one person in the whole of Guyana can do so .If you differ with this world renowned statesman on a matter of policies and programmes, I respect your right to do so. But I totally condemn your vile slander of the brightest and best president Guyana has ever had.
The solution to the PPP/C’s problems is to make Ralph Ramkarran it’s Presidential Candidate.
Ralph stop being so bitter and make valuable contributions to the PPP / Guyana . You know that APNU /AFC will destroy Guyana as they have already started.
One does not graduate from under a school. They graduate from a particular. School you bright person you. That fool did not graduate with a PhD either it was given to him like most of what he has. The other half he hustled. Maybe the two of you attended the same school.
You have a lacerated brain from the spiel that your mentor Jagdeo seems to have over you. The PPP do has free and fair internal elections? On which planet? Shucks, you is one of them.
Stop spring as though u graduated from under the school u had attended
Ralph Ramkarran is so overtaken by bitterness, it has become impossible to have him.render any authentic moment
INews it is about time you walk away from this Dr jadgeo nonsense. It is an affront to those who took the time to burn the midnight oil to receive an earned PhD. This hustler/ crook does not deserve any semblance of legitimacy or respect.
I don’t think Ramkaran’s comment have any merit on the democratically elected leader of the opposition. One should realize that Ramkaran is only sour, similar to Nagamootoo, because they didn’t got a Chance to be leaders of PPP. Ramkaran should know that unlike any other political party in guyana, the PPP holds free and fair internal elections and is a party for the people of guyana and not only their supporters. He should turn his attention on issues that are of greater concerns instead of PPP’s internal affairs. He should instead give his visionless colleagues, Ramjattan and Nagamootoo some comfort in this hard time. Since Ramjattan is now the worst security minister in guyana’s history and Nagamootoo does not understand that Guyanese is not a race but a nationality.
Donald Ramotar himself said it best, when he informed that young indigenous son of the soil that Jagdeo would have slapped him… mouth open and story jumped out. Ramotar knew very well what he was talking about.