Failed presidential ambitions and a quest to remain relevant are behind the attacks by Ralph Ramkarran on the PPP which the party today said it expects to continue even as it said his exit after nearly 50 years of membership was “inexplicable as it was sudden”.
In its first detailed statement on a number of attacks launched by Ramkarran on the party, Freedom House also referred to what it called “unacceptable revelations” about him in 1997 which resulted in him not being chosen as the party’s presidential candidate in the year that President Cheddi Jagan died.
Ramkarran left the party last year after confrontations with leaders over his strong views on the extent of corruption in the country. After his departure, on his blog and in a column in the Sunday Stabroek he has attacked the party on corruption and a host of other grounds.
Several weeks ago he charged that Guyana would soon qualify as a “kleptocratic Republic” as the leadership of the party was beholden to a corrupt triumvirate of influential businessmen, contractors and bureaucrats. It was seen as the most serious attack on the party to date especially in light of the crucial upcoming congress of the party in early August.
He had also accused the party of departing from the ideals of Dr Jagan.
“The PPP leadership is supported and financed by all of these groups and state decisions are influenced by their interests. The PPP is no longer motivated by working class ideology although it still clings to its historical connections. The reason why the Public Procurement Commission, a vital instrument in the struggle against corruption, will never be established is that the PPP is a political organization that now represents a section of the petit bourgeoisie, those three parts of which are described above, whose interests are antagonistic to those of the working class and conflict with acceptable standards of integrity”, he had said.
The text of the PPP statement follows:
MR RALPH RAMKARRAN’S POSTURING: DÉJÀ VU
Since his departure from active politics and from the ranks of the leadership of the governing PPP/C, Ralph Ramkarran has done his utmost to remain relevant. Historical recall has become his forte.
The history of politics is replete with hind-sighters. Guyana is no different. Our historical landscape is strewn with their political carcasses. Their evolution is standard, a career of long standing service and commitment, terminally interrupted by a failure to achieve some end.
Having departed, these individuals turn their attacks on their former comrades. Mr. Ramkarran is following this time tested trajectory. Unlike many others, in his exercise he makes no pretense about clearing his name, justifying his role nor easing his conscience.
His is classified warfare always with the threat of more to come. His is all pretense.
In 1997, after unacceptable revelations he was not selected as the Party’s Presidential Candidate. Subsequently, the party recognized and spoke appreciatively of his fortitude in returning to active leadership after that personal reversal. He also played a significant role in the constitution reform exercise, (1999 – 2001).
As the Speaker of the 8th and 9th Parliament he moderated a workable level of tension between the legislature and the PPP/C Administration.
From 2006 to 2011, as Speaker, his ambitions resurfaced and were clearly enunciated — he was again aspiring to be the next President of Guyana and publicly strove to show that he was unique and different from other PPP members, definitely from its leadership of the PPP/C Administration and the PPP leadership.
In February 2011, his bid for the PPP presidential candidacy was again lost. Ramkarran, like the other candidates had to make presentations and defend their bid for the post before his leadership peers. His presentation did not reveal knowledge nor concern about levels of corruption that he now discloses.
In fact, corruption of government and party officials was not featured in the issues he was going to address were he to be elected as the President.
His latest disappointment came in January 2012. Having tried so hard for so many years to be the “independent” Speaker and no “lackey of the government”, he reveled in the laudatory declarations of the PNC and AFC at the end of the 9th Parliament regarding his outstanding stewardship at the helm of the National Assembly.
However, the parliamentary Opposition parties after the November 28, 2011 elections, opposed efforts of President Ramotar to have him re-elected as Speaker and, in fact, voted down his nomination as Speaker at the very first sitting of the 10th Parliament.
Again the PPP and the PPP/C administration stood by him and exposed the opportunism of the opposition parties. The PPP leadership did not waiver in its support for him.
However, his end (departure) was inexplicable as it was sudden. One day, at an Executive meeting, feigning great intolerance, he walked out and resigned. His resignation was re-affirmed as efforts by party leaders to reverse the outcome were rudely rebuffed.
Mr. Ramkarran now has discovered that he has so much to share about his experiences and knowledge about the PPP and Government.
Not unexpectedly, he portrays himself as a wronged person in order to justify his efforts at leaking dreadful secrets of his political past. Unfortunately, Mr. Ramkarran has become his own worst enemy.
Since his veneer has been lifted, the PPP is certain that he will use the ample time he has on his hands, to regale Guyana with some more high points of his long association with the PPP. So we shall anticipate more of his recent disclosures with interest.
His profound vitriol against leaders of the PPP makes one wonder why was this not exposed when he was one such leader and contesting for the Presidency in 2011. Why was this aspect of his moral position not revealed during his bid for the Presidential candidacy? In fact, why would one want to be a presidential candidate for a party he has now described in such disparaging terms and accused of such dastardly acts?
One can draw no other conclusion as to wonder whether we would have had to wait at least another five years of silence had he won the Party 2011 Presidential Candidate nomination, and possibly the Presidency, for the disclosures he is now making.
