Ramkarran’s allegations “damning” – AG Nandlall

The highly respected former Speaker of the National Assembly and PPP executive pulled no punches in a weekend article in which he said the country would soon be known as the “Kleptocratic Republic of Guyana.”

According to Ramkarran, there was widespread corruption in government with party leaders acting in collusion with businesspeople in some instances.

When a reaction was sought from Attorney General Anil Nandlall on Monday he told reporters that he was sure the party would want to respond “as a collective” to the allegations.

“At this point in time having not benefited from the collective of the party I would not want to embark on a response that could be considered to be pre-emptive of what the party will say but I have no doubt that the party views it with deep concern and the allegations are damning and serious and the party will respond in due course.”

When pressed Nandlall said the party’s executive had not met since the publication of Ramkarran’s remarks. The article, which first appeared on the veteran politician’s blog Conversation Tree, was reprinted in the Sunday Stabroek and was widely shared on social media site Facebook.

Ramkarran has been a vociferous critic of the PPP since his departure from the party of which he had been a member for almost 50 years.

According to Ramkarran, there was a three-tiered system of contractors, bureaucrats and influential businessmen who were taking advantage of their positions and political connections to enrich themselves.

“The PPP leadership is supported and financed by all of these groups and state decisions are influenced by their interests. The PPP is no longer motivated by working class ideology, although it still clings to its historical connections,” he contends.