…says ex-AFC member had refused parliamentary seat

DR. VEERASAMMY RAMAYYA, the recently resigned executive member of the Alliance For Change (AFC), was not in favour of the AFC coalescing with the APNU ahead of the 2015 General Elections, and had even refused a seat in Parliament when the parties had won the polls, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo said last week.Now Dr. Ramayya has tendered his resignation from the party, to take effect in September 2016 — for the second time following the APNU+AFC victory at the 2015 polls. This time, he has declared that his protest against corruption is falling on deaf ears, and that his investments in the fledgling AFC have not paid off.

When Dr. Ramayya had first resigned from the AFC, he had complained about the position offered him following the APNU+AFC victory at the polls. He was persuaded to stay on, and was offered the post of Regional Executive Officer of Region Six. He has now resigned from that position.

In a letter dated September 13th, 2016 and addressed to AFC General Secretary David Patterson, Dr. Ramayya explained: “My contribution and investments did not resonate deeply into the party. Hereby my six years of constructive efforts and time spent rewarded those who are the beneficiaries. Today, I have no remorse to exit myself from the party, because I am (a) self–assertive and strong-minded individual who always crusades with uncompromising principles, because the party fails to deliver.” He added: “During the campaign season, corruption was highly politicized; and at present everyone has turned a blind eye.”

Dr. Ramayya told this publication that, for all the years, he had always stood against corruption, and it was promised that the party would fight to eradicate it. He said it is happening presently, and he cannot accept that.

“Honestly, I don’t think I was treated as an executive member of the party. The five-year-plus that I have given them was a great sacrifice on my part financially, and with my time and effort with the television programme and going door to door…”

He also complained that the money he had spent in 2011 and 2015 was not reimbursed. He mentioned spending more than $15M, for which he was given a mere $5.5M. “Recently, I have sent six letters out from the President downwards, asking them if I would be reimbursed for the money I spent in 2015. (It is now) three weeks, and no one had the courtesy to acknowledge my letter; and further to that, in 2011, although I received $5.5M, the election cost Region Six over $20M…

“Today I find that people who have not invested more for this new Government are reaping the benefit,” Ramayya said.

NO EVIDENCE
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Vice Chairman of the AFC, has said that while the former executive member is alleging that Government is indulging in corrupt practices, he has failed to provide supporting evidence. Speaking to reporters at the Ministry of the Presidency last Thursday, the Prime Minister said that while Dr. Ramayya has been using a slogan, he is unaware of the context in which the former AFC executive member is alleging corruption.

Notwithstanding the allegations being made, the Prime Minister has wished Dr. Ramayya well. “He is my friend, he is my brother, he is my villager… He has made a tremendous sacrifice and a strong contribution for his village, for his country, and for Guyana.”

The Prime Minister added that the current situation does not change his perception of Dr. Ramayya. “He remains a good person,” the Prime Minister maintains, even as he added that he had tried his best with respect to Dr. Ramayya.

“I think I could credit myself with having strongly recommended him to be the REO; and I supported his appointment, I went to Berbice — Whim, his home village — to announce his appointment. I was proud of his appointment,” the Prime Minister emphasised.

He was also keen to point out that the Region Six leader has long been critical of the coalition. “I know for sure…he was the only person at the leadership of the Alliance For Change who voted against the AFC entering in partnership with APNU; so he is consistent. He said he didn’t feel that we should join the coalition, and that’s why he didn’t even accept a seat in the National Assembly… So I wish him well,” the Prime Minister declared.

AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan also weighed in on the issue, declaring last week Wednesday that he had anticipated the former REO’s resignation. On the issue of Dr. Ramayya being owed $15M, Ramjattan, Guyana’s Public Security Minister, said: “We don’t owe him a dime! Absolutely nothing! 15M? During the campaign, we paid the people who we were supposed to pay, and they all got their monies. A claim of $15M…would make me use some very unpleasant words which I do not want to use.”

Ramjattan’s statement was in response to questions posed by the Guyana Chronicle. He did, however, acknowledge the work put in by Dr. Ramayya, and said the party has done that which was required for the former Region Six REO.

“I think we did what we had to do for him… [We] gave him the regional executive position. I might be unpleasant with the remarks…, (but) he still remains a very good friend and he worked hard for the party. I will probably put out a statement later on; I don’t want to (do so) now,” Ramjattan told the Guyana Chronicle.

The AFC leader has no objection to Dr. Ramayya rejoining the party in the future, despite him resigning for the second time. “I have, for a person like that, an open-door policy. Mistakes will be made; mistakes have been made; even I have made mistakes. Yes, why not? A person like him I would give second and third chances,” remarked Ramjattan.