Dear Editor
WHILE serving as a leading executive member and potential presidential candidate of the PPP, Ralph Ramkarran must have heard of his party’s excesses, ranging from its now widely established links to the underworld, support for drug lords and private death squads, runaway corruption and squandermania, nepotism and its rampant give away of state lands to friends, family and foreign investors of dubious backgrounds.

He said little or nothing during that period, particularly after Bharrat Jagdeo became president and decided that Guyana and its resources were his to give. It was not until the end of June 2012, when it had become clear that he would never be the PPP’s presidential candidate that he decided to throw in the proverbial towel, resign and became a political commentator. Neither Mr. Jagdeo nor the PPP’s executive had any plans for him.

But his preference for the PPP remains and can no longer be hidden. Writing in his weekly blog/column over the weekend, he ironically joined with Jagdeo and the PPP to call on the AFC to abandon a Coalition that has restored national pride, put the death squads to pasture and is allowing SOCU and SARU to do their work unhindered in bringing the corrupt to justice and reclaiming stolen state assets.

Mr. Ramkarran had even turned up at a sitting of the National Assembly after elections in 2011-12 expecting to be elected Speaker again. Legislators wisely chose Raphael Trotman instead. It has now become clear that Senior Counsel Ramkarran has rejoined forces with the PPP in a desperate effort to drive a serious political wedge between the Coalition partners. He never once criticised the PPP during its 23 years in office, regardless of what it had done, and never asked MPs or ministers with a conscience to walk away. Why now. What is his agenda?

As well, Mr. Ramkarran knows fully well that constitutional reform requires the support from the opposition. In some cases the vote must be by a two-thirds majority. Government has failed to win support in the House for Bills of lesser importance. Just why does he think the PPP will support such reform? The senior counsel must also understand that the AFC politicians had campaigned to remove the PPP from office, to rebuild Guyana and to save Guyana from becoming a completely lawless and criminalised state under the PPP. Why resign and join them in opposition? That would be foolhardy.

Regards
Peter Joseph