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The process to select the PPP presidential candidate should leave no doubt on fairness and transparency
Dear Editor,
In reference to “Ramotar gets the edge to become PPP presidential candidate” (Kaieteur News, April 3), I believe in the end the PPP Central Committee (CC) will choose its nominee by secret ballot in Monday’s (04-04-11) voting. It seems logical and inevitable.
Whether it is a secret ballot or show of hands, the outcome will be the same. In New York, PPP supporters and other Guyanese I have spoken with favour secret ballot.
At several recent public events in the Richmond Hill area, many Guyanese approached me to query about my views on the selection process and who I think will emerge as the PPP nominee. I have made an analysis on who I think will be chosen as the PPP candidate and one does not have to be a pollster or a statistician to know the outcome. However, the voting should be fair and transparent with members voting in secret as popular opinion warrants.
The overwhelming number of NY-based Guyanese feels the PPP’s general membership should choose the candidate in one man one vote. Polls I conducted in Guyana over the years also support this opinion. But it is impractical at this point in time for the party members to select the candidate, as say happened in Trinidad last year when the leader was chosen for the UNC.
Other NY Guyanese with whom I interacted feel the PPP’s candidate should be chosen by the delegate system, especially if the members will not be choosing the candidate. But this is also not feasible since a PPP Congress has not been scheduled. There is overwhelming support for the third option – a secret ballot among the CC members given that the first and second options above are not practical.
As explained to me by party supporters, the 15-member Executive Committee (EC) will make a recommendation to the CC and the 35 members will debate and discuss the EC’s recommendation and then the members will vote to choose a nominee.
Regardless of the method of voting, the same candidate will be chosen. Thus, the party will project a better image if it opts for a secret ballot – which will be in keeping with the tradition of the party and worldwide electoral norms.
I believe that CC members will in the end choose the candidate through secret balloting. I can’t see the General Secretary, himself a candidate for the nomination, or any other candidate, saying no to a secret ballot as it will expose them as being out of touch with reality.
Candidates for nominations for high office all over the globe use the secret ballot. And here in America, voting done by secret balloting. No one should swim against the global current, or impose his or her will on the CC members. I believe in the end every CC member, including Ramotar, will support secret balloting as it is in their interests.
The secret balloting will cause CC members to freely choose their candidate for the nomination without fear of consequences arising from their choice. The PPP’s candidate selection process should leave no doubt on fairness and transparency. In this way, its members and other candidates will feel comfortable in rallying behind the nominee just as supporters of the other parties are doing for their nominees.
Given that the PNC and AFC already have their candidates and are effectively campaigning for votes, it is smart of the PPP to select their’s now so the battle among the presidential nominees can begin on who will govern us in the post-Jagdeo era.
Vishnu Bisram
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