Dear Editor,
If one wanted proof that there is rampant and barefaced corruption in all aspect of business and administrative endeavours in Guyana, the resignation of Mr Ralph Ramkarran from the PPP/C is the perfect smoking gun. What else can his step down point to? This man dared to follow his conscience and wrote an article about corruption in high places. He did not point any fingers, he did not mention any names, but he spoke out. He brandished his sword with an intent to lead the charge – enough is enough – only to be forced to fall on his own sword and be banished from the kingdom. Forever? Only time will tell.
It is said that ‘morality’ is the mother of the legal system while the legal system is the deterrent that maintains a strict adherence to the established moral fabric of a society. But what about ‘conscience’? What part does it play in maintaining the moral fabric? How can the legal system be allowed to play its part if the conscience does not expose deviant social behaviour, the immoralities that are perpetrated away from the glare of natural sight.
That is why in many cases, and I presume in the case of Mr Ramkarran, the conscience can be a very heavy load to carry, at least for those who have it. Yes. We are all supposed to have it, but for most of us fear and, in the case of the corrupt ones, avarice has allowed us to suppress it.
Only Mr Ramkarran can tell us why he decided to speak up forcefully at this time. And, only he can explain the intricacies that lead to him submitting his resignation. I remember Mr Ramkarran as the House Speaker who doggedly executed the bidding of his party. But I also remember a lot of pundits giving him the benefit of the doubt when he decided to throw his hat in the ring to be the presidential candidate for his party.
The school of thought was that with leadership he may have taken the opportunity to be a Hoyte-like figure in wiping out the negatives from his party. It was believed that he was merely toeing the line and biding his time, all the while suppressing his conscience. I guess his party, and I dare say the pundits, were right about him. In the case of the party, they are now vindicated – he was not the kind of leader they wanted.
I do not know how many saw or are aware of the stage play, Eighty-Three Thousand Gee’s, written by Ronald Hollingsworth, that was on at the National Cultural Centre recently. I was around for the original production more than 10 years ago. I get the impression that many persons who saw the production recently feel the play is about corruption – and who will blame them given what is prominent today. Instead it is about the different ways the representatives of our three main ethnic groups, Indian, African and Amerindian dispense with the money they all ganged up to steal.
Corruption is always around and society must constantly work on crushing it when and wherever it is noticed. But, given the trend of the stage play, this administration, not so much the civic component, was able to take corruption to an infinite level – the power of infinity. I do not see the civic component benefiting handsomely from the ‘runnings’ and must wonder when the consciences of persons like Roger, Robeson and Samuel will be too much to bear.
As such I have to reflect on the good deeds of my fellow villager Bernard, who was brave enough to walk away and return to his private legal practice after only a short stint with the Civic and the administration. He allowed his conscience to be his guide and while fear may still be restricting him from speaking out, he at least did the right thing. Who are the other bold ones in the administration, the political opposition and business? Yog Mahadeo stepped away from GT&T and Mohamed Sattaur from NCN. Who else is willing to take the bold steps and stand up for a just society? I hope Mr Ramkarran has the will and the wherewithal to continue what he started and bring to light all he has witnessed and experienced. To do otherwise would be sacrilegious. Going back to the party will be retrogressive. I hope eventually we are all able to expose this scrooge that is damaging our country.
Yours faithfully,
F Skinner
