Dear Editor,
It is with a great deal of sadness that I read of the passing of Dr Moti Lall, a distinguished medical practitioner and political activist. Dr Moti Lall’s impeccable achievement in the public service is well recognized. However, what will sadly be missed is the humility and simplicity of the person.
I knew of Dr Moti Lall before I met him. Dr Herman Ramsammy the younger brother of Dr Josh Ramsammy related to me his golden days of university life with Dr Moti Lall while studying medicine in Germany, both of them on a PPP scholarship. Dr Moti Lall never displayed any traits of middle class snobbery, but rather remained among the few professionals to join the PPP in the mid ’70s and lift the banner for freedom and democracy. During that period he was also the President of the Cuban and German Friendship Society.
Dr Moti Lall has distinguished himself in the medical field, an achievement that was well documented, especially in the two main daily newspapers that reported his demise. However, on the political battleground he joined the battalion led by stalwarts such as Pariag Sukhai and Sonny Dalchand, among others, to turn the West Demerara region into a powerful fortress for the PPP. It was therefore not surprising that when the PPP returned to power in 1992, Dr Moti Lall became the parliamentary representative of that region.
As a political activist, Dr Motilall‘s activism in the trenches was matched only by Dr Ganraj Kumar, leader of the Liberator Party in the 1970s. He once explained to me how they were related, but politically, culturally and in terms of religion they were all radicals, despite their ideological differences. Dr Kumar was charged for seditious libel after he sent the copy of a document containing instructions that ballot boxes in rural areas were to be deposited at the army HQ to the relevant officials for comment with a covering letter. It was this letter which caused him to be charged with seditious libel. He was eventually freed after Justice Lindsey Collins upheld a no-case submission from Senior Counsel B O Adams in July 1977.
In Parliament, Dr Moti Lall commanded respect on both sides of the House. During a debate in the Sixth Parliament I remember Dr Faith Harding, the opposition spokesperson on Health and paying tribute to the contribution of Dr Moti Lall in the field of medicine.
Finally, given the nature of his character, Dr Moti Lall was always liked and appreciated even by his opponents. The country has lost a good doctor, an honest politician and a dedicated citizen. If ever the true meaning could be applied to the word Comrade, then Dr Motie Lall was one such person.
Yours faithfully,
Rajendra Rampersaud
