I write in response to a letter to the editor in your Stabroek News dated March 06, 2024 by Donald Ramoutar, former President of Guyana. I must admit that I admire Dr. Ramoutar’s commitment to Dr Cheddi Jagan and his socialist ideology, though the average supporter of the PPP did not buy into it.
Ramoutar was eager to point out the ‘racism’ of Indo-Nationalists (his term) while ignoring the racism of the PNC. He pointed out at the beginning of his letter the remarks made by Hamilton Green at a function to mark the 101st birth anniversary of Forbes Burnham: “At that event Mr. Green, in praising Burnham’s performance urged his gathering to do as Burnham did and rig elections to get power if that was indeed what he had done.”
Is Donald Ramoutar advocating that Indian-Nationalists (Baytoram et al) should copy Hamilton Green’s blind loyalty to Burnham and his ideology? Ramoutar wrote: “As I noted above the Afro-Nationalists idolize Burnham. They sing his praises loudly, even when many of the measures he took pauperized our country and made it one of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.”
Is Donald Ramoutar advocating that Indo-Nationalists should adopt and transfer this blind loyalty of Afro-Guyanese toBurnham to Dr Cheddi Jagan? Indian civilization has survived millenniums because Truth or Dharma are always placed abovean individual. Dr. Jagan was certainly no Holy Cow!
What evidence has Donald Ramoutar provided to his readers when he charged that Indo-Nationalists want to put “Indian pontop?” Is Donald Ramoutar saying that Indo-Guyanese were fairly treated under the PNC during the Burham-Hoyte era? The reality then was that Dr Jagan and his acolytes were prepared not to heed the global wind that was sweeping across the region. Had Dr. Jagan adjusted his political sail, his politics would not have fallen victim to western power brokers. Dr Jagan was stuck in an ideological quagmire that was being challenged in the 1960s and 1970s. However, Donald Ramoutar’s touting of this redundant ideology today befuddles me!
Dr Cheddi Jagan was an absolute leader that did not want to consult with others who were with the people much earlier. Donald Ramoutar pointed to Dr. Balwant Singh in his article who visited victims of the Wismar Massacre of 1964 and was critical of Dr. Cheddi Jagan. Dr Jung Bahadur Singh and Balram Singh Rai were equally despised by Dr. Cheddi Jagan. When Dr Jung Bahadur Singh was defeated by the PPP candidate Dr. Cheddi Jagan remarked that “I took a shovel man to defeat him.” (Dr Bahadur Singh served as a medical doctor in the ships that brought Indian indentures to British Guiana and went on to serve as an elected member of the British Guiana Legislative Council for 23 years until 1953.)
Dr Cheddi Jagan was a political iconoclast who had no respect for other leaders, past or present. Donald Ramoutar has continued to peddle this intolerant ideology. Is profiling the lives of Jung Bahadur Singh and Balram Singh Rai offensive to the Dr Cheddi Jagan and his acolytes? In his letter Donald Ramoutarhas certainly equated Dr Cheddi Jagan to a ‘jealous god’ who alone is worthy of worship and more so, any criticism of himcan be likened to blasphemy.
Donald Ramoutar’s veneration of Dr Cheddi Jagan is admirable. However, he must learn to accept that others like Dr Clem Seecharan and Baytoram Ramharack have the right to be critical of Dr Cheddi Jagan’s politics. Also, the roles that others such as Dr. Balwant Singh, Dr Jung Bahadur Singh and Dr. BalramSingh Rai must be documented and launched to the public for it to develop informed opinions on the politics of Guyana.