Dear Editor,
First, I would like to point out that I love Guyana very dearly and although I live overseas I try to keep in touch with the goings on at home at all times.
I know that the PPP just held its congress and elected its central council from which its executive committee will be elected (selected).which in turn will “select” a leader to contest the next general elections in 2011. I use the term “select” deliberately because there is no way in a democracy 11 hand picked individuals can decide who should be the leader of the whole country. If the members of the PPP were to elect a new leader I am certain that Moses Nagamootoo would have a decided edge over the others who are being “named” in the press. My ‘feeling’ is he has more popular grassroots support within the PPP [and to be sure among Guyanese in general] than Mr Jagdeo, Mrs Jagan, Robert Persaud and all the present crop of political leaders.
I’ve known Moses since childhood. I know his family [mother, father and many of his siblings] well. I also know his wife and children even better as we lived in the same building for three years. I have first hand knowledge of the sacrifices he made for the PPP (especially during the trying years of the Burnham government) and the cost to his family. I know of the sacrifices his family made for the party. He was and still is one of the stalwarts of the PPP who does not shy away from his commitment to serve his party and the people of Guyana. He is not afraid to express his differences with the party leaders when it becomes necessary, sometimes to his personal detriment.
Once, more than 6 years ago I challenged him to start a new peoples movement with some of the younger leaders in the political arena including Trotman, Ramjattan , Roopnarine among others: a National Progressive Peoples Alliance (NPPA) to bring Guyana in unity into the 21st century.
His love for the PPP, an organization to which he gave practically his entire life and in which he still had faith, would not allow him then to think of “destroying” the party.
Before and after the last elections he spoke eloquently for unity in the country and the need for consultation and “shared governance”. I remember him saying how it would be great if a group of scholars, without political affiliation, from within and maybe outside of Guyana, were commissioned to study the political and economic plans (platforms-manifestos) of the two major parties to find the common grounds, (he thought there were many) and make recommendations on how the parties can work together to bring these common goals to fruition for the benefit of all Guyanese.
I know that many of the leaders within the PPP accused Moses of being ambitious as if ambition was a horribly negative trait. I asked then as I do now, can Mr Jagdeo, Mrs Jagan, Mr Ramotar, Mr Persaud, Mr Rohee and all the others who claim to be leaders truthfully say they are without ambition?
The rank and file membership of the party should challenge the leadership of the PPP to hold open, transparent, coercion-free elections for the presidential candidate, unless of course, they (the leaders) are afraid that Moses Nagamootoo will win and unite the country and in essence, rob them of their present privileged positions.
Yours faithfully,
Dr Lionel Sewpershad
“I know that many of the leaders within the PPP accused Moses of being ambitious as if ambition was a horribly negative trait,” writes Dr Lionel Sewpershad. Nothing is wrong with having ambition, per se, sir. It’s how you go about realizing your ambition that is of concern here. Not only you know Moses Nagamootoo personally. I know him, too, as do many others. A lot of us can testify from longstanding personal interaction with him that he is a teller of tall tales, speaks with a forked tongue and feigns emotions that would put any Shakespearean actor to shame. Also, who can forget the unprincipled way he openly challenged President Jagdeo a few years ago? And the way he publicly embarrassed his own Party leadership? This is the same man who now beats his breast about Party unity. What a Brer Anancy!
I am a supporter of the PPP I have been since I was 15 years old and yes I am of african decent. i joined the PYO in1990 and was lucky to have had many oppurtunity ro talk to Cheddi before hed died. I know Moses for all that time and can say no bad thing about him, he is a man of integrity, wisdom and great political knowledge. Guyana was robbed when he was not given an opportuntiy to serve as Prseident in 1992. However we got Jagdeo and we all know the rest of it. I was at the last celebreations the PPP had for Dr. Jagan birthday. The was masqurading under a banner that said “Cheddi Jagan’s Vision Our living Guide. What a shame any one who know of Dr. jagan know that what is been practice in guyana today is far for what Dr. jagan tried to teach us. Many of those like moses, Gail, Indra, Navin, Ralph ETC who know was the vision is and tried to pratice it are been side-lined because it is not in keeping with what Jagdeo is praticing now. Thank God Moses is back in the Central Committee and let us hope that he would be an inspriation to the others “Jaganites” in the CC to bring about real change in our party so that we can get on with the business of re-biulding Guyana. Moses Election to the CC is an indication that Party members want change ..
Oh? Well how come he did not get not elected to the 15 member PPP Central Committee? Centralized elitism democracy PPP style is more powerful than grassroot working class one man one vote!
He doesn’t stand a chance when people are being selected by the group of gang of eight.
When i think about Moses and all that is happennig now, I can’t help remembering Bruce Golding and what he been through in the Jamaican Labour Party (JLP). But nevertherless Mr. Golding became the political leader of that party and is now the Prime Minister of Jamaica. I know that good sense would prevail. Their is no leader in the PPP that is more well respected than Moses or ever more politically intelegent. Moses is one man that would be able to reach out to the other races if he is given the opportunity to lead our party into the next general elections. One can argue, but I can tell you that the PPP was heading to a minority government at the last elections but that changed when Moses return to the fold of PPP. Lots of PPP voters were hurt by the way they treated, one of the stalwarts of our party and were prepared to vote for the AFC in protest. Mr Jagdeo should realise that by keeping Moses and the other Jaganites out of the party decision making process would eventually hurt the party. i know that the Jagdeo faction is working to push these new people who come around claiming to be with us but I ask, how many of them know our party battle song or some of the rules of our party. I remember when the PYO was an organisation that placed great focus on our youth development. Now it is just a talk shop and our young people who claim to be members dont even know the roles and funtions of the PYO. It is time we get our act together and rescue our party. Cheddi is hurting in his grave and only the Jaganites can save us because the know what Cheddie’s vision was for the party and are serious about seeing that vision come to fruition..
I support moses.Ozzy4116 has hit the nail on the head. However Moses has to step out of the box. he has to be pro active. he has to identify those that are within the CC who are supporters and practicioners of jagan’s legacy. he also has to pull towards him those who were marginalised by Jagdeo and yes Janet. Janet has caused a number of persons who should not be there to be elected into the CC ans she has been responsible for some who should be there not to be there.
She loves to ensure her favourites gets in no matter if they get into all sort of brawls. She ensured her son became a member of parliament. jagan would never have allowed this. You get on the other side of her and she utilise the fear of the others to ensure that you are out. Fazel Khan, rajendra Bisessar and Ramjattan were especially targeted.
It was Janet who issued an ultimatus that bharrat should be on the slate. The fact is She herself should never have been president. It is janet that is to be blamed for the nonsense going on right now.
Janet taught us about ho chi minh and communist morality but she seems to have burried him alive.
She actually wrote in the press supporting Rohee.
Because of her favouritism many have suffered and have been marginalised.