The various PPP support groups in the New York area are firmly behind their party in Guyana but differ in their views over the treatment meted out to stalwart member and attorney Khemraj Ramjattan who has been seen by many of the members as a rising star of the party. In fact, many members of the support groups express deep regret over his dismissal from the party and hope there will be some effort at reconciliation between Ramjattan and the party that will lead to his re-admission.

In interviews, members of the support groups express mixed feelings about Ramjattan's expulsion with a few giving strong backing to the Central Committee's action, while the majority say that the party leadership could have handled the issue differently to allow Ramjattan to save face and remain a member of the party. A handful of those interviewed view Ramjattan's expulsion as democracy in action in the party, with Ramjattan being given an opportunity to defend himself and Central Committee members voting on his fate. But a larger number of the party's activists view his expulsion as evidence of a decline in inner-party democracy with the leadership unwilling to accept constructive criticism from fellow comrades. A few of the members are even critical of the party's leadership, des-cribing it as undemocratic; they charge that the leadership has moved away from the principles of Dr Jagan and are questioning whether this is the same party founded by the great leader and that has withstood criticism for half a century.

The members of the various support groups interviewed requested not to be quoted by name fearing sanctions from the party's leadership. One member indicated that his support group is in frequent contact with Free-dom House and that his group received a letter from the party a few days ago addressing the Ramjattan issue. "We will meet and discuss the matter. But I don't want to be quoted because I want to remain in the good grace of the leadership for the time being", he said.

One common view that emerged out of the interviews was that Ramjattan should not have been publicly critical of the President or members of the cabinet prompting members to support some kind of disciplinary action against him. An executive of one of the groups said: "My group received a letter from the party outlining Ramjattan's problems. There does seem to be an issue that Ramjattan should have been disciplined because apparently he did things that irked the leadership. He should have toed the party's line and followed party's rules even if he did not like the way the party was doing things. It appeared that he transgressed party's policy otherwise the party would not have acted to discipline him. But the way the party disciplined Ramjattan is a very ticklish issue among our members. Many of them believe the Central Commit-tee should have handled the matter differently and not expelled him. In fact, many of our members feel Ramjattan and Nagamootoo should have gotten Ministries in the cabinet. Our group will meet as a body and discuss the Ramjattan issue. I can assure you that all is not well in the party in Guyana as well as among our members on this matter. But we remain committed to the party."

Another view was critical of the party's action. An executive of a group commented: "I don't support individuals. I support the party. Ramjattan is a potential leader of the party. He is a brilliant young man with a vision for Guyana. He represents new thinking from a new age group. He is unquestionably a young star. There was nothing that he did that could have been so serious as to warrant expulsion. I am saddened that he is expelled. He is not disloyal. He is not a traitor. His expulsion sends a wrong signal to the younger generation. It says there is no future for them. The party should be grooming younger leaders not discouraging them from becoming actively involved in politics. The Central Com-mittee's action is detrimental to the party."

A third view, different from the above, is very supportive of the Central Com-mittee's action to expel Ramjattan. Members of a group known to be close to the President espouse this view. A prominent spokesman of this group says the party did the right thing in getting rid of Ramjattan. "He should be expelled. He was not following the party's constitution. Re-admitting him into the party will not change anything because he has not shown any sign that he will change his ways and stop criticizing the leadership. As for the timing of his expulsion, now is as good as any other time."

Another member of this pro-Jagdeo following commented: "Ramjattan should have been expelled a long time ago. He has a big mouth and has been given several breaks in the past for embarrassing the party. He will continue his maverick behavior against party's interest."

But Ramjattan enjoys strong support among some members of other groups which feel he has an enormous contribution to make towards the development of the party. In fact, many showered lavish praises on him. An executive member of one group, describing Ramjattan as "a very popular, likeable person", noted that Ramjattan "was forcing the party to consider much needed change."

Another member has described Ramjattan "as a committed comrade who is filled with courage." He adds: "He has been dedicated to the upliftment, betterment and well-being of the people. He is enormously talented and can make a tremendous contribution not only to the party but to the politics of the country."

And yet another member has described Ramjattan "as among a new breed of politicians seeking to shape the political psyche of the nation through a new brand of politics." He adds: "With his expulsion, the party has lost an ardent patriot and a gentleman politician. He has striven for better inter-racial relations. He not only thinks about the party but about the nation as well. He is very respectable and trustworthy."

A view among some of the members is that Ramjattan should not be allowed to leave the party. Some of the members noted that he was a PPP savior a few years ago and now he is an enemy for speaking out. Most support his re-admission. One of them said: "He should be strong and must not resign his parliamentary seat. Ramjattan should not walk but fight to get back into the party. I believe it is not too late for reconciliation. He should be allowed to return to the fold. I think he should appeal to the general membership for re-admission into the party".

One serious concern deciphered from the interviews is the potential fallout from Ramjattan's expulsion. Almost all of the members of the support groups feel that the PPP needs unity and all its resources to strengthen itself. They are in agreement that conflicts in the party should have been settled amicably and without animosity. They feel expulsion was too harsh a disciplinary measure even if he committed egregious acts. As one member said: "This only serves to divide the party and provide openings for the opposition. We are fighting each other for no reason. The party seems to be unraveling. We need to unite and work together to help rescue the nation".

There was strong support for some form of censure as a disciplinary measure as opposed to expulsion from the party. One member concluded: "What the party did was to discredit a visionary of the PPP. Ramjattan should have been censured, not expelled. They should have removed him from the Central Committee to discipline him if he went out of line. It was not necessary to expel him as a member of the party. He is a long time member who grew up in the party. He fought hard for the party. He defended Janet Jagan's presidency. Now, he has no recourse to file an appeal but to go to the general membership and the party supporters for their assistance in getting him back into the party ".

A few of the members questioned the fairness of the hearing given

Ramjattan. One of them commented that the outcome of the Ramjattan hearing was never in doubt. "The decision to expel him appeared pre-conceived; there was no way he could have gotten a fair hearing. It is really sad for our party that a good man has been removed from the membership. The issues of principle and political morality took a back seat as members closed ranks behind the leadership of the party on a petty matter".

Members are also concerned that the party has slowly drifted away from the moorings of the late Cheddi Jagan. Younger members are worried that the party's leadership since Jagan's death has been characterized by a cultivated disdain for independence of mind and thought. One member said: "I am disappointed in the party's action. I don't think Ramjattan would have been expelled had Cheddi been around. I see Ramjattan as one of the few party executives who has displayed a vision for Guyana and who demonstrates the will to really work for the country's upliftment".

Related to this feeling, another member said: "The way Ramjattan was sent packing from the party is a disgrace. It is an infamous act that should never have happened. This is the first act in the unmaking of what Cheddi stood for and I wish if it had not happened. Ramjattan did not do anything that warrants expulsion. Perhaps he could have been disciplined some other way such as a temporary expulsion for his outspokenness".

Almost all of the individuals interviewed described Ramjattan and Nagamootoo as individuals of integrity and honesty who would not lie but they refused to discuss the issue of who was telling the truth on whether President Jagdeo accused Ramjattan of leaking information to the U.S Embassy, an issue that received the written backing of 29 members of the Central Committee.

Almost all of the members agree that Ramjattan's expulsion does not put the party in a better position than what it is. It is strongly felt that there should be ongoing dialogue to bring about reconciliation.

In spite of the rancor in the camp, there should be no doubt that while the support groups are divided on the issue of the expulsion of Khemraj Ramjattan from the party, they are all united in their support for the party.