Dear Editor,
In a letter to SN dated March 17, 2010, captioned, “Mr. Ramkarran is a particularly persuasive candidate” Abu Bakr stated among other things “Mr. Moses Nagamootoo has also been interviewed by the media. And there is no doubt that Moses is one of the best politicians of his generation. From the Jagan experience this possible candidate has extracted the aspects of personal accessibility, incorruptibility and accountability to the people. I have also read most of what Mr. Nagamootoo has had published and he too will bring his own style and perspective to the presidency. Unfortunately, Moses remains in “banwas”. Exiled from participation in the highest instances of the party. I have to confess to bias in this case since I have known Mr. Nagamootoo and found him, a nice person”.
Also accepting a possible bias and identifying with the last statement of Bakr, I would add, “The ability to reach out to the grass roots, to reach out across the divide, to mix with various sections of the divide, the capacity for critical thinking so vital to our situation. He has been attacked for not being decisive and that he remained in the PPP after his clash with sections of the leadership. History has indicated the problems of those who acted precipitately. I personally questioned the action of leaving the Central Committee stating that some of us are manipulated out and that we need them there to carry the struggle within, to continue to have access to the membership.
The question is whether those in leadership recognise to some extent that injustices have been done to others. Was it right what they did to Moses? Is it wrong for many of those in the central Committee to act to exclude, to act to marginalise to not recognise that they have acted to advance friends and favourites.
Does Ralph believe he should be the President before Moses? Does he believe the members want this?
I criticized the Press in the past for simply dealing with those thrown into the limelight within political parties and advancing their cause but not taking the time to investigate the inner working of the parties and the distortion of democracy that takes place.
I am sure the press has no clue as to how the elections within the PPP congresses are run.
There are those who want the PNC to apologise. I am wondering if those in the Exco of the PPP can accept much less apologise to those they have marginalized. Let’s see if these presidential hopefuls can exercise some level of selflessness, if they can concede to the obviously better man for the party and nation.
I challenge those presidential hopeful to take the debate out into the open. We want to hear their strategies and plans to unite this country.
The party went to the membership to decide on Janet and Sam and Bharrat. Let’s do the same only this time let’s have open debate and let the members vote at these conferences.
Also let the voting at these conferences have returning officers that are above the fray.
I have strong reasons to state that the counting of votes at the PPP congresses and the declaration of the winning candidates is not transparent.
That it is subject to serious manipulation.
It is being said that one Minister lost his job because he defended himself by stating to one of the losing party for the executive that he counted the votes but did not announce it.
I am calling on the membership to commence discussing at the group, district and regional meetings free and fair elections at congress, for the members to decide on the presidential candidate. For the presidential candidates to have free access to debate at the forums within the Region set up for the purposes.
I must congratulate “demerarawaves” and call on the Press to invite these candidates to have interviews on the various channels. I am calling for the TV stations to organise and invite these candidates to open debate.
Yours faithfully,
Rajendra Bissessar
