Dear Editor,
So the esteemed Dr Randy Persaud has entered the arena for the PPP. That, of course, is his right and I do wish him well. However I’d like to emphatically point out that Randy cannot carry a candle to Boyo Ramsaroop when it comes to contributing to the PPP and to Guyana’s struggle for fair and free elections. Boyo has given his entire life to the PPP – time, efforts, and resources, especially in the days when top PPPites of today like Prem Misir had no time for the struggle and instead derogated those who led that struggle in New York City at a time when others (now in the PPP/C) were breaking up PPP meetings and harassing PPP activists.
Perhaps Randy can enlighten readers as to his contribution to the struggle that gives him the right to criticise someone who dedicated his all to that effort as an activist of the PPP. It is worth noting that those with whom Boyo walked the trenches have remained silent, perhaps because they recognize that he has earned the right to express his disappointment given the lifetime of contribution he made.
In response to Randy’s question about “a thirteen-year-old being handed such a task,” had he been involved in the struggle he would have known that teenagers have always played integral roles throughout the length and breadth of Guyana in the days when the PPP was taboo for the likes of Randy Persaud. Besides there are still many alive who can actually verify Boyo’s assertion; only Randy would not know that, again because he has no personal connection with or any idea about the who, what, how of that struggle.
Regarding his comment about children doing these things all over Guyana, has Randy really travelled the length and breadth of Guyana and actually observed what children do? The reality is that while children did do these things all over Guyana at one time long ago, that kind of act is more the exception rather than the norm in these days. So rather than write from suppositions Randy should take some time to get to know the real Guyana of today. It would be quite an education for him.
Finally what makes Randy an expert on what Dr Jagan would or would not have done? For his edification it was Dr Jagan who championed critical support for the PNC much to chagrin of many, many then PPP activists and supporters like myself, and our objections were dismissed out of hand. Also it was the same Dr Jagan who was discussing a secret deal with Burnham for a coalition government and thousands of supporters and activists knew nothing about it.
The bottom line is that if those, like myself and Boyo, who were part and parcel of the struggle, do not know Dr Jagan as well as we thought we did, then how would a Randy Persaud, who perhaps only read about him, ever know him?
There is arrogance in presuming to criticize someone whose contribution has made it possible for Randy to be where he is right now, and in making assumptions about people and processes of which he has no intimate knowledge.
Those of us who know Boyo Ramsaroop know that arrogance is not part of his makeup; instead he is imbued with humility and camaraderie, passion for justice and equity and compassion for the needy and the helpless. Randy needs to find out the multilayered contributions Boyo has made, the many lives he has touched and the numerous ways in which he has made a difference, for he did not give of himself only to the PPP.
Yours faithfully,
Annan Boodram
