Dear Editor,
Last Sunday’s article in SN (June 28) by Ralph Ramkarran is quite revealing when he mentions the accords between APNU and the AFC as being, in his opinion, undercut by PNC diehard activists. He goes on to cast stones at Mr Harmon, alleging that Mr Nagamootoo’s position has been undercut by Minister Harmon, as if he were talking about Dr Luncheon, who was the one who undercut everyone in the PPP government, especially the Civic leader, Mr Sam Hinds and even Mrs Janet Jagan, when he ganged up with Mr Jagdeo to insult her over the Stabroek News adverts in 2007. He further concocts strange tales about Mr Granger and how he has to break free of the “diehard” PNC people in order keep the coalition accords alive, as if the President needs his advice on anything at all. Fence-sitting, as is obviously Mr Ramkarran’s favourite political pastime, requires no commitment except carping about inconsequential make-believe histrionics, and that is what he is doing when he tries to create mischief by suggesting political “fracking” in the coalition government’s political arrangements. He knows quite well, this coalition is really the first in our modern political history, and problems there will be, but Mr Granger and Mr Nagamootoo will work things out as honourable men committed to the welfare of this country, I am sure of that.
Editor, this is the same Mr Ramkarran who criticized the PPP on many occasions in recent times, and was even insulted, demeaned and destroyed politically when he was in the PPP, and who chose to sit on the fence in the last elections just a month ago. He had every chance to commit to the principles he had elaborated concerning coalition politics in Guyana and yet he chose to sit on the political fence while the PPP leadership destroyed the great ideals which his own father, Boysie Ramkarran, fought for with President Chedddi for many years.
Editor, it seems to me that Mr Ramkarran really is involved in widening that fence and making his permanent home there. This will allow him to do political somersaults, jump left and right as he sees fit, create political mischief and pontificate on politics from lofty heights beyond the scope of us, regular Guyanese folks − all of which leaves him out in the political cold and seals his fate as he becomes irrelevant to the national cause.
Yours faithfully,
Cheddi (Joey) Jagan (Jr)