Ramjattan's expulsion will not affect unity of party
-President Jagdeo
By Daniel Da Costa
Stabroek News
March 17, 2004
The decision by the leadership of the ruling People's Progressive Party (PPP) to expel parliamentarian and former Central Executive member, attorney-at-law Khemraj Ramjattan has in no way divided the party or affected its unity.
This is according to President Bharrat Jagdeo.
"The general membership believe the unity of the party is important and understand that it (the party) is bigger than all of us." Since his expulsion Ramjattan, a Berbician has consistently defended his position to publicly criticise any member of the party who may be guilty of wrong-doing, saying it is his democratic right. However President Jagdeo has a divergent view on the issue.
Speaking with this newspaper during a recent visit to East Berbice, the President said "so far I have ignored Ramjattan and (Moses) Nagamootoo because I did not want to get into a mud-slinging match with them. I have stayed away from commenting on the issue even though they have lied on me. There is no secret why this is happening. Nagamootoo has publicly said he will be running for the Presidency." Jagdeo then asked rhetorically, "And how do you become president? - you have to pull down the person who is in that position."
"Since 1993 Ramjattan has been consistently attacking members of the PPP publicly, something that would not be tolerated in the PNCR," he argued, while referring to the expulsion of former General Secretary of the party Aubrey Norton.
Reiterating that the party has had numerous internal debates, Jagdeo again asked rhetorically: "If every party member (should) abuse each other constantly in public what will happen to the party?"
Some people, he pointed out, are trying to make the issue a freedom of expression one, saying "but the party does not matter in all of this."
The second issue is that of confidentiality. "You cannot allow confidential information discussed in-house being published in the newspapers," he declared while noting that he felt hurt that some "comrades" would go to the extent to allow personal ambitions to harm the party. "Ego is a bad thing but we must treat party stalwarts with respect because of what they did for the party. Unfortunately some members do not have respect for them."
Some members of the PPP, the President claimed, were being pushed by some elements including the PNCR and are being told "we can work with you because you are more middle of the road while Jagdeo is a hardliner."
He again referred to the case at the party's headquarters in which 29 executive members denied hearing any accusation being made against Ramjattan, but the latter and Nagamootoo said they did. "The two include one who has a grouse and the other who wants to become president. Who would you believe, them or people like Mrs. Janet Jagan, Reepu Daman Persaud, Ralph Ramkarran and Komal Chand?" he asked.
Asked about the status of the revoked US visa of Minister Ronald Gajraj and the delayed US visa for Minister Clement Rohee, President Jagdeo said "I think there was some clarity on the Gajraj matter. But on the Rohee case I was told by senior officials of the US Embassy that it is nothing. It is just processing time because they do random triggering and this is taking a lot of time. Because of the processing being done by Homeland Security in the US they are triggering quite a number of people around the world. So there is no issue, it is just a matter of time before Rohee gets the visa."
And what about the long-awaited bridge across the Berbice River for which numerous start-up dates have been given in the past? "We hope by June to get the feasibility study which would unlock US$11 million from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and hopefully by year-end the contract could be awarded," he disclosed. The paving of the 49-mile-long highway from New Amsterdam to Crabwood Creek is also expected to commence by year-end.