Latest update February 4th, 2025 9:06 AM
PPP Presidential Candidate will be known by year end – Jagdeo
Attorney-at-Law Charles Ramson
There is a view that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) should select their next presidential candidate before Local Government Elections (LGE) are held on November 12.
This is according to the party’s General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, who disclosed further that some party members believe that the decision should be left until after the LGE.
“I am in favour of the early [date], but definitely before the end of the year,” Jagdeo stated.
Several senior party members are said to be considering the top post. Attorney-at-law Charles Ramson, who is among the youngest in the party, and Government Chief Whip have publicly declared an intention to lead the party into the General and Regional Elections in 2020.
Ramson’s public declaration did not sit well with Jagdeo who pointed out that it was a departure from the approach that the party has used in the past.
This essentially shut down any further public announcements from other presidential hopefuls.
Kaieteur News understands that Jagdeo has other choices for presidential candidate in keeping with the working relationship he has with respective members of the party. Those potential candidates, he disclosed, are following the rules.
Among the notable personalities in the mix are Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira; former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall;, former Government Ministers Frank Anthony, Irfaan Ali and Clement Rohee.
There is also some indication that other women may seek to get the nod, but they have a harder climb to the top in convincing the party’s top Committees.
However, the selection process to be utilized by the party has received criticisms. Former Speaker of the National Assembly and former PPP member, Ralph Ramkarran, in his weekly column in the Stabroek News indicated that the party has no special rules for the selection of a presidential candidate.
“The rules are archaic and have long outlived their usefulness. In this era of liberal democracy, the public would like to see and hear the candidates before one is selected by the party, especially having regard to the powerful position the president holds under the constitution.
And the selection process for all parties in Guyana, not only for presidential candidates but also for officials, should be determined by members,” Ramkarran indicated.
Ramkarran noted that the decision-making rules under which the executive committee of 15 recommends and the central committee of 35 decides. He stated that the latter invariably follows the former.
Jagdeo has stated that he intends to play a pivotal role as General Secretary in the selection of the party’s next presidential candidate. He said that the one quality the PPP ensures is held by a Presidential candidate is modesty.
Jagdeo said that the only “other” person the PPP had with a big ego was Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo. He said that no one’s ego in the PPP can compare to Nagamootoo.
“The biggest ego in the PPP is small to Nagamootoo’s.”
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
The burden of proof rests on the asserting party
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- In recent days there have been serious assertions made and associations implied without... more
OAS Secretary General Election and renewed OAS Consensus
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The upcoming election... more
Weekend Cartoon
