Inner-party democracy
Editorial
Stabroek News
February 5, 2004
Mr Khemraj Ramjattan has over the years been recognised as an intelligent and articulate member of the Central Committee of the People's Progressive Party, willing to speak his mind on important issues of the day. He attracted considerable attention when at the last Congress of the party in Berbice the Section K Campbellville Group with which he is associated proposed a number of amendments to the constitution of the party. It appears that similar proposals had been submitted to the previous congress but had been withdrawn on the basis that they would be discussed immediately after the congress. That never happened. Accordingly, revised proposals were submitted.
There were six proposals. The first was that of the 35 members of the Central Committee a minimum of 5 should be residents of Berbice and 5 of Essequibo. The second called for a minimum representation of females on the Central Committee, gender equity. The third was that the Leader, Chairman and General Secretary should be elected by direct popular vote at the congress, as well as the twelve members of the Central Committee who got the highest votes to serve on the Executive Committee. That is not the case now. The fourth was to remove outdated terminology by replacing the terms Socialist/ Socialism with national democratic, Marxism Leninism with "constitutional and nationalist democratic principles" and "democratic centralism" with "transparency, accountability, equality and the rule of law." The fifth was that the Central Committee should be accountable to party members through the circulation of minutes of meetings and by answering questions posed. The last was that only members of the executive committee should be appointed to investigative committees.
These proposals should have been taken on the second day of the congress. They were arbitrarily brought forward to the first day and before the discussion started a video was played in which Mrs Janet Jagan, who could not be present, denounced the Campbellville group saying it was attacking the philosophical underpinnings of the party. The proposals were thrown out. To an outsider there is nothing in those six proposals that could not and should not have been openly debated.
Mr Khemraj Ramjattan has stressed repeatedly that he remains a committed supporter and member of the party. He says he has raised issues which he believes are important to the future of the party and should be discussed openly. He has gained wide respect for his forthrightness and also enjoys considerable popularity. Some of his recent statements show that he has his ear to the ground. The popular impression is that he is outspoken and even brash but in no way disloyal.
Last Saturday Mr Ramjattan was strongly criticised at a meeting of the central committee of the party, partly because of criticisms expressed in his monthly column in this newspaper of the President's recent speech at Annandale. He eventually walked out when one member said he did not feel comfortable discussing party business in his presence. He is also due to appear tomorrow before a disciplinary committee of the party. If Mr Ramjattan is severely penalised or even expelled from the central committee or from the party it will send a strong message that the party is out of touch with reality, unwilling to change and moribund. Moreover, it will surely convince other bright and ambitious young men in the party that they have no future there. Strong parties should welcome outspoken and independent but loyal lieutenants of the calibre of Khemraj Ramjattan.