The Ramkarran family helped shape Guyana’s political landscape and in recognition of those contributions, a street in Bel Air, Georgetown, was this year named ‘Ramkarran Street.’
The once unnamed street is home to the prominent Guyanese family.
Ralph Ramkarran, during an interview with the News Room on Wednesday, said his family lived here for many years. He made the proposal to have the street named after their family because of their history in the community that was once a plantation, back in December 2024. It was approved by the Mayor and City Council in January 2025.
“Because my great-great grandfather came here in 1875, indentured to Plantation Bel Air, and the Ramkarran Family, in different names, continue to live here throughout the period for 150 years, we thought that it would be a fitting memorial to my father,” Ralph said.
Ralph Ramkarran during his interview with the News Room on Wednesday. (Photo: News Room/ April 23, 2025)
Bany [no last name], the first Ramkarran to live in Bel Air, arrived in Guyana on January 19, 1875. He was among the first East Indian immigrants who arrived in Guyana to work on the plantations. He eventually resided in Bel Air, where the plantation was.
Ralph’s late father, Boysie Ramkarran, was a politician and unionist who also lived here.
“The most significant position was General Secretary of the Guyana Agricultural & General Workers Union (GAWU) and he held that position for about ten years but it was a very turbulent period in Guyana’s political life and the Union was not recognised at those times and there were some very long and brutal strikes,” Ralph said.
Mr. Boysie’s political career started after he joined the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) which led to the formation of the People’s Progressive Party in 1950. In 1953, he won a seat at Parliament and eventually became a Minister (he was a minister two times for separate ministries). In 1954 he was imprisoned for breaking emergency regulations.
Ralph himself followed in his father’s footsteps and got involved in politics; he is a former speaker of the National Assembly.
“Given the Bel Air family’s deep connections to the country’s political development, Ralph thought it fitting that the Ramkarran name be etched in the place they have called home for decades.”
“I always had the idea, for many many years, decades. I acted on it last year
“When I went to him [Georgetown Mayor Alfred Mentore] he said he would be happy to put forward a proposal if I were to make it,” Ralph said.
He is happy that the history of Bel Air and his family’s contributions to the nation are tied to the newly-named street.
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