In a strongly worded statement in response to the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), that accused him of becoming his own worst enemy, Former PPP Executive Member, Ralph Ramkarran blasted the Party, making several revelations.
Mr. Ramkarran started off by stating that the PPP’s response is disappointing and did not address the many issues he has written about.
“I am not the PPP’s problem. I am only the messenger,” Mr. Ramkarran said.
In response to the Party’s statement that his resignation from the PPP was “inexplicable as it was sudden” and “feigning great intolerance”, Mr. Ramkarran asked the PPP to explain the fake apology which was issued by the Party’s Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira.
“Dear Ralph, the June 30 2012 Executive committee meeting will go down in our party annals as a painful and emotional one……I regret that my remarks offended you and I apologized then and I apologize in this letter again to you…..I understand how frustrated you are about many issues……”
According to Mr. Ramkarran, Teixeira’s apology letter contradicts the assertion that his departure was inexplicable or sudden.
“Ms. Teixeira sent a hard copy of the letter two or three weeks after the event. It was declined, being too little, too late and tainted with insincerity. That is what the PPP refers to as a ‘rude rejection’ of an apology.”
1997 Presidential Bid
The PPP had stated that in 1997, after unacceptable revelations Mr. Ramkarran was not selected as the Party’s Presidential Candidate. In response to this, Mr. Ramkarran challenged the Party to reveal the details of the revelations.
“What were the unacceptable revelations, who made them, what was the evidence produced in support of them, were the ‘unacceptable revelations’ investigated, was I found guilty and if so, what sanctions were imposed? If this information in its entirety is published, I publicly declare that I will forego legal proceedings for defamation, in the event that the revelations are defamatory.”
Corruption Issue
The PPP also accused Mr. Ramkarran of not raising the issue of corruption in his internal Party statement advocating his candidacy for the presidential nomination.
Mr. Ramkarran in his defence stated that he wrote articles in the Mirror and Chronicle calling for additional steps to deal with corruption.
According to him, in 2001, the PPP established an Anti-Corruption Committee and its first act was to investigate an allegation of corruption against a senior Party organizer.
“He was found guilty. The General Secretary, Mr. Donald Ramotar, now President, adamantly refused to dismiss him or to take any other disciplinary steps against him. Mrs. Jagan refused to convene the Anti-Corruption Committee again until disciplinary steps were taken against the organiser. None was ever taken. The Anti-Corruption Committee never met again. The organizer has since been promoted,” Mr. Ramkarran revealed.
He asserted that the post-Cheddi Jagan PPP does not now have, nor has ever had, any intention of dealing with corruption, either in its ranks or anywhere else.
