…says to facilitate studies in oil and gas management
People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Parliamentarian Charles Ramson Jr on September 30 tendered his resignation as a Member of Parliament in order to pursue a Masters in Oil and Gas at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom.
In his letter to Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Barton Scotland, the young parliamentarian explained that he applied to pursue a Masters in Oil and Gas Enterprise Management given that Guyana was moving in the direction of becoming an oil and gas producing nation.
Charles Ramson Jr
“It is absolutely critical for our national development that we have Guyanese who are technically trained in the oil and gas sector. This is particularly important for us as a nation in this preparatory phase as we frame the relevant policy, law and vision if we are to avoid the often cited ‘resource curs’ commonly associated with oil and gas producing nations,” he stated.
Notably, Ramson was also awarded a full scholarship from Chevening, a prestigious scholarship competitively awarded on a global scale funded by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The PPP/C has already been engaged in consultations to find a replacement MP.
Disappointments
Meanwhile, in his resignation letter, Ramson expressed disappointment over two pertinent issues which prevailed during his time in Parliament.
Firstly, he was deeply concerned over the lack of youth representation at the parliamentary and cabinet levels.
“This is particularly regrettable given the youth drive leading up to the election and now young people feel betrayed and voiceless,” he stated.
Secondly, he said there needs to be a stronger commitment for national unity:
“The current APNU/AFC Government has made it pellucid that it is not committed to the realisation of the most fundamental desire of the Guyanese people – national unity – by demonstrating its unflinching position of not sending bills to a Parliamentary Select Committee despite the pleading from us on the Opposition side. Sending bills to a Parliamentary select committee happened virtually as a matter of course especially in the last eight years under the PPP/C Government.
The squandered opportunity which cannot now be regained would have framed the success of politics by forging a working relationship among political leaders in a country plagued by divisions in politics and race or a combination of both. Admittedly, this may have slowed the process but being able to work together despite differences is the extolled virtues of a democracy. This is really what the Guyanese people would have wanted first and foremost from us Parliamentarians – lasting unity forged in struggle rather than notional unity spoken in the abstract.”
