THERE is a new newspaper columnist on the scene. His name is Dr, Bertrand Ramcharan. But just when you expected scholarship to produce analysis and objectivity, Guyana continues to see political bias passing for dispassionate assessments.
I had no relationship with this gentleman whatsoever, but on Saturday, April 2, 2022, I received an email from him which stated; “Please go lightly on the GHRA. If MacCormack did not do it, which local Guyanese would have the dedication to do so. Something for you to reflect on.” Confused is not the right word to describe my attitude. What was this email all about I asked myself? I never corresponded with this gentleman. I never had a scholarly exchange with him on anything.

I was annoyed that someone with his intellectual achievements could send me such a misleading request. I live in Guyana. I have operated on the human rights horizon since I was 16 years old. For the past 20 years, I know of no admirable activism of the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) that would cause me to show even a modicum of admiration for the GHRA and its permanent chairman, Mr. Mike McCormack.”

Here is my reply to Dr. Ramcharran’s 2022 email; “… your mind was not applied to Guyana when Guyana needed you. You did not bat for democracy for 5 months. And then when you did bat was for a human rights (redacted) like McCormack. You have to live with your conscience and hypocrisy. At my age, I could do without the likes of you. I am too old for dialogue with your type. You need to redeem yourself in the eyes of the Guyanese people. You need to publicly ask McCormack why the he and the GHRA was (sic) silent for those five months. Nothing less will suffice. Of course you would not do it. I know your kind. Regards. F. K.”

To date Dr Ramcharan did not find the time or courtesy to explain to me why he and Mc Cormack were silent during the election rigging. In his recent column, Ramcharan waxed lyrical about the GHRA. He informed his readers that there is a book just out describing the role of human rights NGOs worldwide by a publishing house named “Brill” and the GHRA is included.
The goodly doctor did not tell us who compiled the volume and what research they did in Guyana. Then, as you read on in the column, the true nature of Ramcharan is revealed. The GHRA’s performance, activism and achievements are painted in such a saccharine, glossy and rosy fashion that the chapter on the GHRA appeared to have been submitted to “Brill” by the GHRA itself or maybe or possibly by Ramcharan himself.

Ramcharan doesn’t live in Guyana so I guess he does not know about the invisibility of the GHRA, or if he knows about its decades of dormancy, he should know that the GHRA only comes alive because the Stabroek News brings it alive. It is called the solidarity among members of the Mulatto/Creole class. I would like to inform Ramcharan that he needs to take a look at what Vincent Alexander said about that class on the Gildarie-Freddie Kissoon show last Monday and which is available on Youtube. Readers will know Alexander is no friend of the government.

It is sad that a man who once was the Chancellor of UG and worked as a human rights official at the UN could jeopardize his intellectual standing by maximising the triumphs of the GHRA which simply do not exist. Could Ramcharan be accused of insulting Guyanese? I doubt it. No one in Guyana knows Ramcharan so he persuades no one in Guyana.

The day before his column on the GHRA, Ramcharan was at it. And by “at it” I mean damaging his “scholarship.” He wrote that in Guyana, there is “a consistent pattern of vicious attacks on civil society organisations.” Here now I am going to abandon suitable grammar and use a term that I think neatly fits Ramcharan. He is a propagandist.” And I am going further. He is not fit to pronounce on Guyana because he does not live here, does not do research here and thus cannot paint a picture of a country he has no relation with.

Who in Guyana viciously attacks civil society organisations? What type of civil society groups we have in Guyana and what do the Guyanese people think of them. I urge Ramcharan to listen to an interview in which Professor Clive Thomas referred to some civil society groups as manifesting crass inhumanity.