Nagamootoo pushes claims for leadership at New York meeting
Stabroek News
March 28, 2004
Moses Nagamootoo in a speech in New York City on March 17 said that President Bharrat Jagdeo did accuse Khemraj Ramjattan of taking news to the US embassy. The signatures mustered by Freedom House from 29 persons, he said, reflected the pattern of lying inculcated throughout the history of the late PPP, especially since the demise of Dr Cheddi Jagan. The names of several senior members of the party executive were called.
Mr Nagamootoo in his almost two-hour speech slammed the PPP. On the Khemraj Ramjattan issue, he said, "Ramjattan is a man I would like to have in my team, Ramjattan has integrity." He also said Ramjattan was given an excessive and unwarranted penalty.
The meeting unanimously called for the reinstatement of Khemraj Ramjattan to the PPP Central Committee as he had been elected by the PPP Congress and not appointed by the party executive which expelled him. Nagamootoo outlined his aspirations to become Guyana's President. He condemned President Jagdeo's handling of the border issues with Venezuela and Suriname.
Nagamootoo said people are losing hope about the crime situation.
He said Mr Jagdeo had become president because of Mrs Jagan's influence.
Referring to an incident that he said had occurred 2l/2 months before the death of President Cheddi Jagan with whom he was touring the country, he said Dr Jagan had said he did not know if he would contest the 1997 elections. When asked by persons present who would, he answered, "We have Comrade Moses here, he is already running the country and we have some other good comrades too." He said his was the only name Dr Jagan ever mentioned as a successor. He said he had urged the journalists there not to publish a word about this.
He said he went to study law because the president said he was undermining him. He said he told him this to his face that he was his competitor. He said he was telling the meeting these things because there was a fracture in the party over personality. "Bharrat said when the day comes he does not even think about me, so I had to give him something to think about."
He said Ramjattan was liked by the Americans, the British and the Canadians, and was an asset.
Nagamootoo responded to a number of questions from persons at the meeting which was held at the Vishnu Mandir in the Bronx. The meeting was videotaped.