HUMBLE, quiet, a man without much fanfare, Donald Ramotar toiled in a modest back office at Freedom House in Georgetown for decades, content to remain in the background, happy with his lot in life, playing a reticent role in the shadows of power, shunning the limelight, serving his nation.Born and raised in Karia Karia, an isolated small-farming and logging community aback of Parika, with deep roots in the land and close affinity to the Amerindian way of life, Ramotar moved to West Coast Demerara to attend school, moving on to the Government Technical Institute, before winning a scholarship to study in Europe.As his life journey wandered a normal course, however, his soul soared with his developing a deep love for the vastness of Guyana’s potential. In his move from Karia Karia, that tiny village community, to West Coast and then to Georgetown, he

experienced how we Guyanese could move from our small world to our massive potential. The Guyanese nation grew in his heart as he grew up from that hinterland lifestyle to serve at Freedom House with the great Dr Cheddi Jagan.
Yet, he never sought self glory, or high office. Content to cook at home and help out with domestic chores; happy to manage internal affairs at head office of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP); enjoying singing soulful country songs at night clubs, Donald Ramotar walked among us a man of intense humility, a soul of magnanimous service.
He did not desire even to become a Parliamentarian, or a Minister of Government, or to benefit from his Party’s power and prestige.
Such men fate chooses to exalt and elevate, simply because leadership requires such qualities to succeed.
Fate chose Donald Ramotar to lead us in this hour, and we stand amazed at him because we could not recognise the depth of character, the inner resolve, the enormous reservoir of strength such men built up over the years of their quiet living.
Because of that quiet, almost retiring nature, the world takes men like Ramotar for granted, not recognising the great swell of leadership stamina that causes them to rise, quietly, unceremoniously, to greatness.
Today, Ramotar tackles the task of winning his place in our history, of securing the electoral right to govern our nation for the next five years, with such deep resolve and commitment, such passion and energy, such engagement and connection with Guyanese citizens, that we could only watch him in awe.
What an extraordinary performance we’re seeing from this titan of 21st century Guyana, as he tours the country, meeting with people in villages and towns and the city, rubbing shoulders with his nation on holidays, with those dark shades and illuminating smile erasing the lines of fatigue from long hours on the road.
The extraordinary power of Donald Ramotar’s leadership character shows up in what others say about him, as he himself remains modest, almost shy, refusing to bring attention to himself. His wife, Deolatchmee, herself pleasant and gracious, fit and healthy, always with a brilliant, genuine smile, engaging and conversational, sings the praises of her husband with authentic gratitude. She remembers the days he helped with the three kids when they were babies, changing diapers, preparing meals, babysitting as she worked as a nurse, after he had spent a day at the PPP office in the trenches working to secure for Guyana free and fair elections.
Today, we see outstanding Guyanese citizens adore and love the President. People like Clinton Urling, former head of the Private Sector Commission, and Peter Ramsaroop, along with Elizabeth Harper, believe in Ramotar, not because of their political ambition, but because meeting the President is an eye-opening experience. One realises he’s not your average politician. He’s open, authentic and real.
It’s unfortunate that Opposition leaders refuse to see the man Donald Ramotar, his heart, his love and passion for our nation, his selfless service, his adamant refusal to let the power and prestige of the Presidential position get to him. He’s quite content to serve, to be the President who serves, rather than wield power.
Instead of Opposition leaders looking to him with openness and willingness to know the man, to see how he’s grown and cultivated that posture of service in the Presidency, they spew verbal attacks at him, and on anyone associating with him.
We see Opposition folks now starting a vicious tirade of verbal abuse against Ramotar’s Prime Ministerial candidate Harper, just because she’s got so close to the President, not only as running mate, but as friend and confidante. Also, Urling is starting to feel the heavy-handed pettiness of Opposition members who scream at him for choosing to be on the Ramotar team.
Anyone who objectively meets with Ramotar would recognize the man’s heart for the Guyanese nation. He loves his people. Yet, ask him what’s his great ambition, or his intended legacy, and he shrugs. All he wants is to do his best. That’s all he’s ever done in his life, and his best has taken him to become a world statesman, Head-of-State of the Guyanese nation, a leader of a 21st century South American nation, head of a Caribbean powerhouse.
In the three years of his Presidency, he served us with patience, taking with quiet resolve the bullying and torment of the Opposition Parliament, and when time came to call it quits and reshape the political landscape that was so depressing citizens, he willingly gave up two years of his Government.
Donald Ramotar shows his mettle, his strength, his outstanding uniqueness as a Guyanese President, in his convening of the historic Presidential Commission to probe the 34-year-old cold case of the suspected political assassination of our greatest scholar, Dr Walter Rodney.
The Commission stands as a symbol of who Ramotar is as a leader, demonstrating his character, his love for national justice and righting of historic wrongs, his commitment to service to his nation.
This is our President, and before his time is over, one feels confident every Guyanese everywhere would simply love this man, for he showcases a Guyana that is set to own its place as a 21st century society, a Guyana where Harper, Urling, Ramsaroop, Clement Rohee, Dr Roger Luncheon, Priya Manickchand, Anil Nandlall, Juan Edghill, Dr Frank Anthony, Kwame Gilbert, and so many others, could join hearts and hands around a President so humbly immune to the self-aggrandisement of power and prestige, so willing to serve the Guyanese nation.

by Shaun Michael Samaroo