Dear Editor,
I refer to Ralph Ramkarran’s response to my letter which dealt with the issues related to the candidature of Janet Jagan in 1997 (‘Mr Peters’ assertion that financial records were requested by the PPP… is a complete fabrication’ SN, October 4).
Mr Ramkarran asserts that I am “challenging his [broad] characterization of events surrounding the selection of Ms Jagan.” He further states that I am repeating hearsay and that I am descending into the arena of half truths, fabrications and calumnies.
In the 1997 general elections, on the platform of Desmond Hoyte’s new PNC I started what is today the Reform of the PNC, just as I did with persons like Khemraj Ramjattan, in the initiation of what is today the Civic component of the PPP. I repeated these same accounts across the country, in person and on television. I was not challenged then. But the stakes are different now. Power is at stake.
Let me state at the outset that I still have tremendous respect for Mr Ramkarran, the man and his office, but I am appalled at his descent into innuendo and the aspersions cast on my character. This, I never heard in person, coming from him or any one of his erstwhile friends while I was a member or worker at Freedom House. I was never questioned by anyone at Freedom House about any of these new accusations being levelled against my character, or across the country in all the years of (unequal) struggle. Some of us struggled more than others.
I have never been part of a campaign against Ralph Ramkarran, then or now. Or for that matter, anyone else in Guyana. My pursuit of the foregoing has to do with recording for posterity the truth as it relates to those who held high political office in my country. And this should be so. I have a vested interest in this matter.
On the issue of his financial records and requests for them, I never stated anything even near to this position. What I stated in my letter was that Mr Ramkarran’s fellow Ex-co members requested of him a (verbal, impromptu) statement as to his financial dealings as they pertained to his pursuit of the office of President of Guyana, lest they be hurt with revelations subsequently, should he be declared the PPP’s candidate in 1997.
Isn’t it true that the only reason that the decision was left to Saturday morning to announce Reepu Daman Persaud as the Prime Minister of Guyana, to fill the office vacated by Sam Hinds, was because on the Friday night, after the smooth manner in which the Ex-co had arrived at the decision in favour of Reep, Rohee had thrown his hat into contention at the very last minute, ostensibly to gave Janet time to return to stamp her say on events? Once again I ask the question as to whether Janet returned hurriedly to Freedom House from abroad, and took away the decision from the Ex-co, to decide the position of prime minister in early 1997?
Why, if they were discussing the position of prime minister, would a shrewd political apparatchik like Janet then mention the names of other comrades who were qualified to be presidential candidates? Mr Ramkarran went on, “Then she [Janet] made specific nominations,” and that “Moses was qualified to be a candidate.” Then again, “he [Moses] had indicated that he was not interested.” This is not the Moses I know. Even if Moses did so, as a student of Roman history, he was trying to preserve his life, instead of showing his hand before the all-conquering Mrs Jagan.
Mr Ramkarran in his attempt to defeat my real pursuit in my letter, then tries the old and tired method of throwing mud at the accuser. I have nothing to be afraid of. I always worked with distinction, wherever I was employed. And I worked with distinction as a political organiser of Greater Georgetown, at a minuscule salary from Freedom House. I did it for cause not reward. In some ministries I was known as the best thing since sliced bread. I received accolades from ministers and President Hoyte for my efficiency and timely completion of financial statements and balance sheets of the entities where I was working. Burnham termed people like me ‘pen pushers,’ and unless you were efficient you were either retrenched or fired, if not hounded out. I used to be under the surveillance of the special branch on a 24/7 basis. The Guyanese people will be my judge, not Mr Ramkarran.
The same thing he has accused me of – half truths, falsifications and calumnies – is what he is guilty of now. I am steeled in the struggles of my country. I was hardened in battle over many years. I was repeatedly charged for political reasons during my struggles and was defended by PNC-aligned lawyers. I was never charged for any other crimes in Guyana or anywhere else. During one period, Albion Police Station was my second home, but I enjoyed the support of my community and my family. Not even Burnham could scare me, and neither can the PPP. My struggles stand public scrutiny across the country.
I functioned in entities that provided service to the public on credit, ie, GEC, and people would use their services indiscriminately, but when the bill came in the mail they would always be upset and hurled all manner of accusations and insults against the poor staff of the entity. It continues to this day at the telephone company also. And further I survived by never taking a bribe. Mr Ramkarran can ask the Regional Supervisor in NA about how I used to function.
I was President of the famous Port Mourant Cricket Club for the better part of the 1980s and Chairman of the Ratepayers and Tenants Association of the Williamsburg Area.
In the 1970s someone in the Port Mourant, Rose Hall or Albion areas had written an accusation against me about fraud to the Prime Minister’s office, in an attempt to get me fired. In addition, to the accusation, they had stated that when they visited the office to meet me, there I was sitting like a Cheshire cat that had just swallowed a juicy canary. But Burnham was a clever, learned man. He saw through that. Of course I presented evidence to prove that I was not even on location when the alleged incident(s) were said to have occurred and that the refund of five dollars and some cents had been in the vault for some considerable time and that other senior staff had access to the vault at all times.
And yes, I am letting it go, Ralph. The truth about a sordid past in our history is a truth that Guyanese are entitled to know. The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
Further I say not.
Yours faithfully,
Lionel Peters
