Dear Editor,
Unfortunately, in his letter to the press (‘Josh Ramsammy had the support of leading government officials on the UG Council throughout his tenure as Pro Chancellor,’ SN February 17), Mr Nanda K Gopaul is trying to revise the unethical treatment Dr Josh Ramsammy and the University of Guyana received from senior PPP officials in their administrative capacity at UG.
Perhaps Mr Gopaul needs to clearly state who the two senior officials at UG Turkeyen Campus were that gave “increased and strong resistance” to Dr Ramsammy.
I know one of those persons was named to head the Integrity Commission and this same person did have the full support of President Jagdeo and a faction of the PPP. In fact, to publicly display PPP support for this person, he was photographed with the former President Ms Janet Jagan. This photograph was published in the local newspaper.
It was this same person the PPP appointed Vice Chancellor, with the full support of the PPP.
Mr Nanda K Gopaul is placed in the untenable position of defending his President and the faction within the PPP for their despicable action towards Dr Ramsammy and UG. Everyone in Guyana knows that it is the President of Guyana who pushes the button on major issues and decisions.
Dr Josh Ramsammy was a leading academic who also had a long and outstanding history of fighting oppression and injustices on behalf of the Guyanese people. Why would a governing party not do likewise, and take a courageous stand with Dr Ramsammy on principles and ethics?
The Jagdeo government and his PPP faction failed to support Dr Ramsammy and in so doing lowered the bar for integrity and principles.
This government has since continued its failed policies and has presided over the continued demise of the university. It has effectively destroyed the efforts of Dr Ramsammy who wanted to rebuild UG as a great and respected institution.
The President had his man in place to lead UG. It is evident that President Jagdeo’s man of choice at UG delivered “increased and strong resistance” to Dr Ramsammy for all to see. The saddest part of this betrayal and disappointment for the Guyanese people is that the PPP government has undercut the life’s work of Dr Ramsammy and so many others.
Yours faithfully,
Anand Daljeet
