In a column penned shortly before his resignation from the executive of the PPP over the weekend, Ralph Ramkarran questioned whether the time has arrived for national unity.
“There have been differing interpretations of the election results of last November. But one of those interpretations cannot be denied, namely, that some supporters of the PPP have clearly indicated their disapproval of aspects of the government’s performance. The strength of that disapproval, whether calculated or not, has been sufficient to now make it difficult for the government to conduct the business of the executive, as has been demonstrated with the rejection of some expenditures by the National Assembly,” he wrote in the column published in the PPP’s Weekend Mirror.
He said that there are several alternatives, namely, seeking to move forward by agreement with the opposition, calling new elections and hoping for a more favourable result or a coalition government. However, he noted that the tripartite discussions between the government and the two opposition political parties have not brought forth any significant measure of agreement.
Ramkarran recalled that the first effort collapsed after there appeared to have been agreement between APNU and the government whereby the government agreed to increase pensions and increase the income tax threshold and APNU dropped its opposition to the increase for electricity charges to Linden consumers before later reneging. He said that since then there have been charges and counter-charges and some bitter recriminations, including the rejection twice of Supplementary Estimates.
“Talks are scheduled to resume once again but the atmosphere has been poisoned by the sharp exchanges and loud disagreement over various matters in the National Assembly, including in relation to NICIL [National Industrial and Commercial Investments Ltd] and the Lotto funds which are both matters of concern to the opposition,” Ramkarran said.
He stated that new elections are a way to resolve the stalemate but this will only happen if one party obtains an overall majority at the elections. “No one can be certain that this will happen. In any event it is likely that the parties have been financially exhausted by the last elections and need time to replenish their coffers. It is doubtful that any of the parties will see elections as a viable option at this time,” the former Speaker of the National Assembly said.
“The last option, a coalition government, is supported by the opposition but does not appear to have yet received any consideration by the PPP, if at all,” Ramkarran said. He had recounted that PPP founder and the late president, Dr. Cheddi Jagan had up to 1991 talked supportively about “winner does not take all” and “shared governance.”
Ramkarran noted that in an effort to preserve stability by not leaving a vacuum, and as the president was constitutionally empowered to do, President Donald Ramotar appointed a minority government. “In any such situation, without a consensus between the major stakeholders, governance becomes difficult and will continue to be difficult. The only way that such a situation is normally remedied in other countries, and stability preserved, so that the peoples’ business can be conducted with dispatch and efficiency, is for the formation of a coalition government with a minimum programme,” he said.
“Men and women have dreamt dreams about this happening in Guyana,” he added.
Ramkarran noted that he was part of the PPP leadership responsible for discussing the matter but said that he did not speak for the PPP in any of his public comments. He said that his position is a “conclusion capable of general application in any situation, rather than the advocacy of a specific policy for Guyana at this time. He added that he is allowed under the rules of the PPP to state a public position on a matter on which a decision has not yet been taken. “I do have a view on this matter. I choose not to give it now,” he said, adding, however, that he may give it at a later date.
Ramkarran, whose family has long been associated with the party and who is seen as one of its most credible figures, tendered his resignation after the fallout from a recent column he authored in the Mirror newspaper, in which he said that corruption was pervasive and the government needed to do something about it.
At a fiery meeting of the PPP Executive Committee last Friday, he was lambasted by two senior officials who also work in the Office of the President, Stabroek News was told. Freedom House on Monday said that it intends to engage Ramkarran on his resignation, in order to reconcile.
The party said an “offending remark” made by a member was withdrawn and an apology offered.
