A Tribute to Ramon ‘Rambo’ Gaskin

Last Updated on Sunday, 21 July 2024, 18:50 by Writer

By Nigel Westmaas

Ramon Gaskin

The last time I saw Ramon was in August 2023. As usual, I gave him a call, and he picked me up in his aged car, which had broken side mirrors and numerous non-functioning parts, except for the engine. Yet, he still managed to drive like an “espionage” agent through the perilous traffic of the East Bank and Georgetown roads. When I nervously questioned his bumper-to-bumper manoeuvres, he made it known that he had been driving since he was 16. 

We sat down to eat and chat, and in his usual riotous manner, he began to vent about his next target to challenge the status quo. This time, he wanted to challenge the government and Exxon in court, through the spirit of Article 1 of the Guyana Constitution, which explains that Guyana is in “transition from capitalism to socialism.” I did not fully understand his use of that particular constitutional clause for his goal, but that was how Ramon thought—with layered understanding. Indeed, he had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Guyana Constitution. Gaskin had recently lost another court case, his appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), over the absence of environmental permits for Exxon partners. But had he lived, he would have been thinking through some other legal means to fight the Exxon-Mobil Guyana deal.

Ramon ‘Rambo’ Gaskin has left us, marking the end of a tumultuous and sometimes contradictory political and social life. He was a relentless advocate of reading the works of Marx and Lenin, and visiting his home meant seeing these, mainly Marxist books open and ready for consultation. His deep contemplation of constitutional issues, keen economic intellect, and extensive knowledge of economic systems drove him to address and challenge complex issues that seemed simple in his mind. As an advisor to a former president, labour unions, and private companies, his professional and intellectual endeavours were as varied as they were impactful.

His early life emerged in bits and pieces through the recollections of early friends. Former MP for APNU Keith Scott recalls that Gaskin’s family lived near Light Street and that his father was a watch repairer. He attended Queenstown Roman Catholic School. After high school, Scott, Stephen Bovell (late engineer, businessman and proprietor of Demerara Bakery at Wismar), and Ramon received PPP scholarships to go to the Soviet Union in the early 1960s. Bovell and Gaskin went, but Scott remained behind. Ramon attended Lumumba University and became fluent in Russian thanks to the scholarship. He returned to serve with the PPP, claiming that it was his resolution that Dr. Jagan used in 1969 to formally adopt Marxism-Leninism and join the Soviet bloc. His contributions were not limited to one sphere; he was a man of many talents and initiatives, particularly in political, economic, and constitutional arenas.

Ramon was a rare figure in the conflictual Guyanese political arena, known for having friends across the political divide and within the trade union movement. He was an independent thinker, full of initiative, and not a respecter of political personalities. At various times, he was a harsh critic of all the political parties in Guyana, a stance rooted in his free-spirited and independent thinking. He kept a keen eye on things and was orthodox only in his invocation of Marx and Lenin and his often-loquacious recounting of the Red Army’s exploits in defeating Hitler in the Second World War. In most matters related to Guyana, he remained open to different perspectives and had a keen sense of the practical implications of political decisions. Although he was a member and supporter of the PPP for most of his formal political association, his loyalty was not fixed except perhaps to Dr. Jagan.

After his controversial role (with the mandate to end blackouts) as chairman of the Guyana Electricity Corporation (GEC), where he apparently gained the moniker “Rambo,” his political stance became more critical of the PPP following the demise of Cheddi Jagan. Over time, he developed relationships with individuals across most of the political parties in the country, particularly the PPP, WPA, and PNC.

Ramon wasn’t keen on the politics of race or cultural issues; instead, he focused on what he believed were “practical” everyday problems, always vocally advancing ideas to solve them. He was a remarkably independent thinker, personable, and entertaining on a human level. Ramon was also a fervent and organic anti-corruption activist, always vocal about the need for transparency and accountability. His antics in social and political gatherings are the stuff of legend. Brash to the point of arrogance, he was also extremely funny and a great political character. With or without a round of drinks, he could be unpredictable, rising to another level of irate exhibitionism, jumping on a table, gesticulating loudly, with his trademark hand in the air demonstrating his quirky, braggart side with colourful “cuss outs” to wit. In one memorable recorded conversation, while discussing corruption and the drug trade in Guyana, Ramon blurted out: “Guyana could teach John Gotti and Gambino a thing or two they never heard about…Gotti neva hear bout cocaine in pumpkin and Banga Mary…” 

Despite his business acumen, his work for private concerns and an extensive grasp of economics, he lived modestly. He once sold bicycles under WPA’s Rodney House when it was located on Croal Street. One powerful politician even attempted to use Gaskin’s bicycle-selling endeavour as an indicator of his lack of business and intellectual acumen. Nothing could be further from the truth. Gaskin was an extremely detailed and careful researcher and thinker. He did his homework and could hold his own in any company, press conference, public forum, or one-on-one debate.

His life was a testament to the great ability to think beyond conventional boundaries. Rest in peace (if your feisty temperament will allow it) Ramon. Your legacy will continue to inspire and guide us, and your spirited independence, intellect, and gestures of purpose will always be remembered. My sympathy and solidarity with his immediate family and many friends.