Political commentator/social activist Ramon Gaskin dies at 82

Political Commentator and Social Activist Ramon Gaskin has passed at the age of 82, having succumbed at the Woodlands Hospital on Carmichael Street in Georgetown.
The outspoken Russian-trained attorney had been known for his insight and comments on developments in the Oil and Gas, Natural Resources, and Agriculture sectors.
Gaskin had also been known for standing up for what he believed is right, which often resulted in him going head-to-head against prominent figures in society, including politicians, private sector executives, and international experts.
While his views had commonly been shared with journalists, Gaskin had, in early 2000, shared his opinions on a television programme dubbed “Keeping Them Honest with Gaskin and Ram”, which he had hosted with Christopher Ram. This
Was a one-hour programme that included a 20-minute call-in segment to allow for short questions and contributions from the public.
Reflecting on the life of Gaskin, the Alliance For Change stated, “The news of his passing has caused the AFC to reflect on recent history and the power of a single individual to hold leaders accountable. Gaskin, or Rambo, as he was affectionately called, was known for his outspokenness and strong opinions. He was an activist and protagonist unlike any other. He fearlessly challenged the Government and Opposition alike to do better to improve the lives of Guyanese.”
The well-known activist first rose to fame after the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had won the 1992 General and Regional Elections. He was appointed Chairman of Guyana Power and Light (GPL)Inc.
Years later, Gaskin resigned and started working for locally-owned private sector companies, while he continued to advocate for workers’ rights. In keeping with this commitment, he signalled interest back in 2017 in forming a labour-oriented political party aimed at radically tackling the basic needs of people to ensure that Guyana gets a fair share of foreign investments, especially in the natural resources sector.
During a public engagement held at the National Library that year, he stated, “We believe that the new economy and the new model has to be predicated on satisfying the needs of people. If you ain’t doing that, you are wasting time. The fundamental principle of government is looking after the needs of people. If you get that principle and you do it right, everything will fall into place.
“I am thinking of having one, and I am talking about people – whether they think we need to have one…
“We are tending in that direction to launch this new thing in January,” he had added at the time.
While those plans were not successful, guided by the principles of integrity, patriotism, fairness, power, transparency, and accountability, Gaskin had been was very outspoken on issues of corruption and bad governance.
In recent years, he had been a staunch civil society advocate for Guyana getting a greater share of the oil revenues, and that ExxonMobil and its co-venturers abide by the letter and spirit of the contract and law, based on his interpretation.
In this regard, he had been listed as an applicant in several cases involving the oil sector.