Dear Editor,
After reading Ralph Ramkarran’s carefully constructed missive on Janet Jagan’s emergence as the PPP/C presidential candidate in 1997 it has become imperative that I now re-enter the political debate in Guyana. Other interpretations/versions were related to me at the time these issues were being played out, so I feel compelled to state my understanding of the relevant issues as they were related to me by senior functionaries in both party and government.
In 1997 was Janet the compromise candidate? Definitely no! She swept all before her. After Cheddi departed rather prematurely in 1997, Janet Jagan went off to Mustique Island to recuperate. During this period the PPP Ex-co went into discussions to start the selection process for a prime ministerial candidate to replace Sam Hinds, who had inherited the presidency, constitutionally. The Ex-co finally decided on the person of Reepu Daman Persaud as a reward and a final accolade for his contribution to the struggle, as his health was deteriorating.
Upon hearing this, she hurriedly arrived at Freedom House, in time for the next scheduled meeting of the Ex-co, whereupon she promptly announced that she was taking the position. As the saying goes in cricketing parlance, when a gifted batsman has hit a perfect shot to the boundary, not a man moved, or raised a word. Janet Jagan became PM and the country drifted into the presidential campaign period without the PPP starting to address the issue of its presidential candidate.
At the beginning of this phase, Janet Jagan stated for all the Ex-co to hear, that she was not interested in the position, that the Ex-co must pursue the issue and resolve to come to a position early, as elections were imminent. This process started, and there were several candidates including Roger Luncheon, Moses Nagamootoo and Ralph Ramkarran. It came down to a straight fight between Nagamootoo and Ramkarran with Ralph winning out in the end. At this point the Ex-co called on Ralph to satisfy them on two conditions:-
a) full commitment – as it was felt that Ralph, the candidate, had no parliamentary experience. He had two sons at UG at the time and for financial reasons, claimed that he could not commit on this count;
b) full disclosure – vis-à-vis his financial records at that time. At the time Ralph was also the legal representative of some Malaysian forest interests in Guyana, which business he had taken to the Ex-co for their sanction. Again, he refused to give any disclosure on his personal, professional business, after which point his fellow Ex-co members began to question their choice of candidate.
At this juncture in stepped Janet Jagan, announcing (she always had the door ajar on the discussions) that since they couldn’t agree on a candidate and elections were around the corner, she was taking the position. She then said that she had spoken to Sam Hinds and he had agreed to run as her prime ministerial candidate.
At one fell swoop both top positions were gone and not a soul demurred. Then she observed that this composition did not cater for the core support base of the PPP, and that needed to be reflected in the top three on the slate to be presented to the Central Committee. She called for a young Indian to be placed on the slate.
Those of us in the PPP who had studied the party’s constitution also knew that there was absolutely no commitment to the Civic on a continuation of them holding the prime ministerial position. At this juncture the executive members decided, unsuspectingly, to nominate a non-contender for power, Bharrat Jagdeo, as the third candidate. They all felt that this was a Janet thing and they would have time to emerge later. This is how Bharrat Jagdeo’s name entered the equation, and as we say, the rest is now history.
To Ralph’s credit, though, it must be stated that he immediately pleaded with Janet Jagan not to do this to the PPP, Cheddi, herself, her children and grandchildren, the Guyanese people and history as she did not have the health to withstand the rigours of the demanding job of President. Ralph’s pleadings with Janet were to prove very prophetic, as we all know how badly the situation deteriorated while she held the presidency.
There is also more to the above episode as it relates to who was negotiating with whom behind whose back simultaneously. These are a matter of public record as I related them across the country during the 1997 general election campaign. It is not Freddie Kissoon who started to relate this episode to the Guyanese public.
Over to the active participants, (the then Ex-co members), to finally place on record the truth of these events.
Yours faithfully,
Lionel Peters
