Dear Editor,
Reading his letter titled ‘Like Dr Jagan, Ramotar is unpretentious and modest‘ (SN, November 5), I seriously wondered how Cheddi Berret Jagan II could commit this travesty of associating Cheddi Jagan with Donald Ramotar. Guyana is a country of modest upbringings. We have been poor our entire existence since slavery and indentureship. Thus, Cheddi Jagan is not unique in this regard nor is Donald Ramotar. Cheddi Jagan as a legend, a celebrated son of the soil, an icon and an inspiration had nothing to be modest about, but he was the epitome of modesty. Donald Ramotar is a man who has a lot to be modest about. He had no choice but to be modest. He is no icon, he is no legend, he is no celebrated son of the soil, he has no legacy and leaves no lasting imprint on the consciousness of an entire nation. He did not start the country’s first major working class political party. He did not spend time in the Mazaruni Prison fighting for independence for his nation. No, he was part and parcel of the destruction of all that Cheddi suffered for.
Mr Jagan telling us of the wonderful virtues of Cheddi Jagan in his letter only serves to remind us of what this PPP has become, and how it has disfigured not only Cheddi Jagan’s name but his party and his ideals. Frankly, Mr Jagan’s letter has confirmed there are more similarities between Cheddi and Moses Nagamootoo than between Cheddi and Donald Ramotar. Unpretentiousness, humility and modesty are not indicative of moral decency, personal integrity, intellect, leadership and the ability to lead. Modesty and humility alone cannot make a leader. Cheddi Jagan never selected the modest, humble and unpretentious Donald Ramotar for any position of governmental significance. Maybe Mr Jagan who returned just recently has been fooled by a little modesty in the PPP den of arrogance and self-aggrandisement.
Where is the objective evidence of Mr Ramotar’s modesty and unpretentiousness? Cheddi Jagan not only lived modestly but as General Secretary of the PPP he enforced that philosophy of modesty within the party. Mr Ramotar may have modesty in person but there is no modesty in the PPP organisation he has led as General Secretary since Cheddi Jagan’s death. The PPP has become a den of arrogance, conceit, pridefulness and egoism. Therefore, Mr Ramotar’s personal modesty means nothing to me and to voters out there. His office at Freedom House may look the same as when Cheddi Jagan had it but his discharge of the office of PPP General Secretary has been radically different from when Cheddi Jagan held that position. If Mr Ramotar could not stop the immodesty and wrongdoing of those who hold power in this land, how will he change anything? If he is too modest to say or do anything to alter this terrible course, he is not qualified to lead this nation.
In light of Mr Ramotar’s obvious second fiddle to Jagdeo during this election in what many see as puppetry, one has to seriously wonder if what Mr Jagan saw as modesty, humility and unpretentiousness was really gullibility, weakness and acquiescence. But that even if Ramotar does possess the attributes of modesty and humility, they have failed him once he allowed himself to be overshadowed by a man whose marketplace cussdowns are causing many to run from the PPP. Cheddi Jagan had modesty, humility and unpretentiousness with principle, reputability and fearlessness to confront those who attempted to subvert his principles and to destroy his party. He was waging an internal war against corruption within his own party when he died. Donald Ramotar does not have those attributes. Cheddi Jagan would have voted against Donald Ramotar and this version of the PPP.
Yours faithfully,
M Maxwell
