The death of Hon. Shridat Surendranauth Ramphal has evoked numerous evaluations on his academic credentials and diplomatic achievements. Many in high offices have over spilled kudos to the learned gentleman, an all too familiar response towards a fallen comrade-the so-called politically correct posturing. However, the true legacy of a man who held numerous highly paid regional and international offices must be taken in factual context.
He was an efficient diplomat and led the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with excellence, even though at no time he was forthright on the excess of the destruction that was caused by the PNC dictatorship. As Attorney General of British Guiana before Independence Sony Ramphal collaborated with emerging dictator Burnham to crafted a Constitution for Guyana as an independent nation; one sordid highlight being the eventual abolition of the British Privy Council-the country’s highest court of appeal- which has now been replaced by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
As the head (secretary/general) of the Commonwealth (1975-1990) Mr. Ramphal had countless means at this disposal to halt the atrocities of the PNC regime: perpetually fraudulent elections, human rights violations like kick-down-door bandits where almost always invariably his kind of people were on the receiving end of this state sponsored terrorism. As Chancellor of the University of the West Indies 1989-2003 Mr. Ramphal enjoyed the high life with his British Caucasian wife, his other claim to fame.
Finally, as the chief lawmaker in the early PNC era, his exalted field in academia poorly reflected his moral values to dictatorship. He rode high, albeit on a stolen horse, following Burnham’s 1968 rigged election victory. In the words of Gandhi: You assist an administration most effectively by obeying its orders and decrees. An evil administration never deserves such allegiance. Allegiance to it means partaking of the evil. A good man will therefore resist an evil system or administration with his whole soul.
Leyland Chitlall Roopnaraine