Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan today said founder of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Cheddi Jagan would not have supported the actions of current party members regarding the operations and functions of Red House.
Ramjattan, who served as a PPP member under the leadership of Cheddi Jagan told journalists at a media briefing held earlier today that the former President would not have found favour with all that is occurring with the research centre named in his honour.
The Minister stated that the law has to be made applicable, noting in this regard, that no one should violate the law to store documents of Dr Jagan, whom he described as a great human being, statesman and politician of Guyana.
“We are going to go to the law and to the extent that the law is going to say that that belongs to the State, then fine, we’re going to negotiate. Why is it, over a year ago, negotiating that say look Burnham’s documents should be there, Arthur Chung’s documents should be there, Hoyte’s documents should be there, you know what they respond and say? No, we shouldn’t contaminate Jagan’s documents with Burnham and Hoyte’s,” Ramjattan said.
The AFC Leader said that his party stands with government on the issue and will not be diverted and confused by the attachment to one of the greatest Guyanese ever to the ongoing feud.
Controversy erupted between Government and PPP over the rightful ownership and use of the Red House, which houses the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Incorporated (CJRCI).
Red House was leased to the CJRCI at G$1000 per month for 99 years in order to use the building to promote research into the life and works of Cheddi Jagan.
President David Granger just over two weeks ago, ordered the revocation of the lease of the CJRCI, based on advice from his Attorney General, Basil Williams, that the agreement was invalid. Williams had argued in a detailed statement the day before that the lease held by the CJRCI was invalid on several grounds, including that there was no evidence that the President of the day had sanctioned it.
However, quick action by the PPP-backed Management Committee of CJRCI saw legal action taken to reverse the President’s decision, with the court ordering that the property of the CJRCI “not be interfered with or removed until further ordered”.
The matter will be heard again on February 20. (Ramona Luthi)
