Dear Editor,
Pandit Ramlall, a stalwart of the PPP, is among a few old timers from the PPP foundation years of the 1950s who are still around, and from whom one can gather a treasure of data on aspects of the party’s activism in the rural areas of the Corentyne and the overall struggle for Guyana’s independence. He served time in jail twice during British times for his political activism. The good pandit recently requested to see me in his Rosedale home (to review his biography and to assist in its completion that was started and almost finished by another writer).
In his conversation, he did not have pleasant words for some in the PPP leadership using Bhojpuri and Hindi slang to describe them. I had not heard these choice Hindi words used by older folks since I migrated from Guyana in1977 to study abroad.
Pandit Ramlall did not ask me to write about his inner feelings about the conduct of some of the PPP figures of recent years and he is not aware that I have penned this missive. I have taken the liberty to pen some of his remarks because they belong in the public domain, especially coming from an individual who did so much to build the PPP (and supported the ACG in New York) and who is held in high esteem by Guyanese as well as Trinidadian Americans and Indians from India in the US. It is noted that NY politicians also routinely seek his support at election times. I have opted to withhold some comments because they were told to me in utmost confidence.
Pandit-ji is angry over the moral and organizational decline of the PPP and over the arrogance of some in the leadership, especially with regard to the party’s affairs over the last five years. He is angry that elements in the leadership of the party, a party that he helped build since the 1950s, disrespected him when he visited Freedom House in recent years and when they came to New York. He noted that “things have not gone well in the PPP” following the deaths of Cheddi and Janet Jagan, who he said would call upon him whenever they visited New York and who always found time for him when he visited Guyana. He said when he visited Freedom House in recent years, at times he would not even be allowed upstairs and then had to endure long hours of humiliation to see members of the leadership. But he did shower praise on Jagdeo for showing respect to him. They never had the courtesy to come and see me for a minute and show appreciation for what I did for them, he said.
“This never happened when Cheddi and Janet were alive; they used to ask me to come into their office right away when they knew I was at Freedom House. I could see Cheddi and Janet any time without an appointment. They were leaders of class and incorruptible. They were morally upright. Current leaders can’t compare themselves with Cheddi and Janet and other stalwarts who built the party.” He also held Moses Nagamotoo and Ralph Ramkarran in high esteem showering praises on Ralph’s father, Boysie, and other towering figures who helped build the PPP. He also expressed respect for Eusi Kwayana though he did not agree with Mr Kwayana’s politics.
Cheddi and Janet (as well as Eusi Kwayana) displayed enormous respect for Pandit Ramall as I observed at several public events in New York when they were in opposition as well as when they were in office (as President as well as when Janet served as UN Ambassador and Prime Minister), always coming over to chat with him. I attended fundraisers organized by Pandit Ramlall and visited his mandir where Cheddi spoke several times when he was Opposition Leader.
Ramlall-ji said he warned the party’s leadership over the excommunication of several prominent figures like Khemraj Ramjattan, Lionel Peters, Moses Nagamootoo, Ralph Ramkarran, and others, telling them such actions would have a deleterious effect on party support and ultimately lead to the demise of the PPP. But the leadership ignored his warnings. Pandit Ramlall also condemned the ill treatment meted out to Navin Chandarpal as well as others who critiqued the political direction of the party. He said the party should never have fought Yesu Persaud.
Pandit Ramlall was the advisor and what can be described as the man in charge of the PYO on the Corentyne. Cheddi had enormous faith in him and other stalwarts like Pandit Churkeeman Tiwari as organizers and Kenneth Persaud as a party activist (and on the party list in 1964 election) who went on to found his own school.
Pandit Ramlall noted that several individuals from their youthful days gave their entire lives and savings, neglected their families and sacrificed their education for the growth and development of the PPP, and were never rewarded. As one activist put it in Guyanese parlance, “Dem boys used to kill themselves for PPP,” and several (like Jewan Mahadeo) were literally killed because of their activism.
Pandit Ramlall noted that the PYO activists of the 1950s through the 1970s used to work hard for the PPP without looking back for rewards. In recent years, he noted, activists have become lackadaisical and were only interested in the rewards of office. Pandit Ramlall noted that the PYO members during the early period used to engage in grass roots activism, fundraising and organizing party meetings on the Corentyne. The youngsters worked without looking forward for rewards, unlike the PYO youngsters of recent years.
He noted how some of the old time youngsters used to collect dhaan (paddy) donated by farmers (who donated a bag each at the harvest season) that was stored at the rice mills of Hack (Hogstye Village) or Jagadeo (no relationship to Bharrat) at No 55 Village. After milling, the rice was sold through the Rice Board and the funds deposited in the PPP account for party activities.
Ramlall-ji noted that several youngsters who assisted in the party’s operation were deservedly rewarded with scholarships to study in the East. Among them were Diaram Ramjeesingh, Hazrat Ally (called Azo), Rengen (Fat Boy) Latchana, DeenHamid, Burtis Bangarie, Herman Sanichar, Bhoj Seecharan, Fat Boy Deen, Sukhnanan, Dharamdeo Sawh, and Sattaur all of whom he (and Pandit Churki Tiwari who was very active at election times) recommended for scholarships. “These youngsters were model workers whose activism should be emulated”, said Pt Ramlall.
And as Pandit Ramlall commented, “The current leadership doesn’t know how the party was built and hardly engaged in activities to build the party. They bilaway (frittered away) everything that others built”.
There is so much to learn from Pt Ramlall about Guyanese political history and some of the current leaders of the party. Historians are encouraged to interview him for his role in the political liberation of Guyana during the independence process as well as the anti-dictatorial struggle. He is a treasure trove of information whose mind is still active though his memory of names and events is fading.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
