Dear Editor,
I saw that the Opposition Leader has extended an olive branch to Dr Veerasammy Ramayya and called on his party to welcome back those who supported the Alliance for Change. I think that Dr Ramayya should take a hard look and see how the PPP treated its longstanding stalwarts after Dr Cheddi Jagan died; there are many examples before his eyes, men like Moses Nagamootoo, Khemraj Ramjattan, Isahak Basir, Sabra Basir and the many more who were shown the back door after being in the party for over 50 years. Does Dr Ramayya really think the PPP will trust him? They will only use him for their own political purposes.
This party has a philosophy not to trust people who left them or who were with another party. I have been there so I know what I am talking about. If he does get acceptance in the party he will have no position to get. I think he is educated enough to know it too. It is fair to say also that he has a right to join a political party of his choice, but he should remember that it’s the same party which was putting pressure on him while it was in office.
After it was reported he was dissatisfied following the election he was made Regional Executive Officer for Region Six, but had a poor relationship with the regional administration. If you check the ten regions, you will see that almost all where the PPP took control are functioning properly; maybe not as well as they could be, but the REOs are getting things done with the cooperation of the opposition.
I know of many people who took time off and spent their own money campaigning for the APNU+AFC and never got a position, but they are happy; all they wanted was a change of government. I can pinpoint a great businessman, Mr Samad Bacchus, who I have seen walking from house to house campaigning on foot along the Essequibo Coast, but he never wanted a position. He has accepted the position as an RDC Councillor; like so many people all they wanted was a change of government. The PPP today has realized their faults and what caused their downfall after 23 years in government; if they had been treating their supporters well they would have been in power today. They need to go back to the drawing board and see where they went wrong.
Some of these men and women when they were in power were too arrogant and power drunk when dealing with members of the public. I bet if they had allowed Moses Nagamootoo or Mr Ralph Ramkarran to be their presidential candidate it would have been a sure win in 2011 and 2015. I hope they can learn from their mistakes and correct them. Dr Ramayya will have no seat at the table if the PPP win an election. I think the PPP should start apologizing to all those diehards and stalwarts whom they insulted and wronged while in power; that’s the best way to begin their campaign for the 2020 elections.
Yours faithfully,
Mohamed Khan