Former army chief, Mark Phillips, chosen as PPP PM candidate

Jan 04, 2020 News

– Juan Edghill steps aside

With two months to go before general elections, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has chosen former army chief, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark A. Phillips MSS, MSc as its Prime Ministerial candidate.
The official announcement came as the Coalition Government kicked off its campaign at D’Urban Park, in what is shaping up to be hotly-contested elections.

PPP’s Prime Ministerial candidate: Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips

With oil and gas production recently starting, the stakes are high. The elections would come after a December 21st, 2018 no confidence motion toppled the three-year-old Coalition Government, sparking a bitter legal battle that divided the country ahead of oil and gas production.
Yesterday, Bishop Juan Edghill released a letter also that he was stepping aside in the race for the PM candidate post.
With regards to the choice of Phillips, the PPP said that at a meeting of the Central Committee of the party yesterday afternoon at Freedom House, the former army chief was unanimously endorsed as the Prime Ministerial candidate.
“Mr. Phillips has had a long and distinguished career in the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) spanning nearly four (4) decades, culminating with his appointment as the 8th Chief-of-Staff of the GDF, from September 2013, until he retired in October 2016. As a member of the Army, Mr. Phillips, held a number of crucial leadership positions at various levels and ranks and his consistent upward mobility clearly demonstrated that he acquitted himself with distinction in every position held.”
The PPP would be banking on the army’s support for Phillips, to counter that of David Granger, a former head of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
“Mr. Phillips received vast military training, certification, military decorations, medals, awards and honours, both locally, as well as, in the Caribbean, South America, Central America, the United States of America (USA), Canada

Stepped aside: Bishop Juan Edghill

and the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, United Kingdom (UK). Academically, Mr. Phillips possesses a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Management, a Master’s Degree in Public Management and several Post-Graduate Diplomas in Defence Planning and various areas of Management.”
PPP argued that Phillips is well qualified and equipped to partner with the PPP as its Prime Ministerial candidate, as it strides forward to win the upcoming elections and form the next Government of Guyana.
“The party’s leadership and its supporters expect Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips to serve all the people of Guyana in accordance with the high PPP tradition of discipline, dedication, loyalty and commitment, both in and out of Government.”
Phillips, PPP said in its statement, was unanimously endorsed by the Central Committee after the other contender, Bishop Juan Edghill, wrote the Party withdrawing his nomination as a Prime Ministerial candidate.
“The PPP takes this opportunity to recognise the tremendous contribution of Bishop Edghill in championing the cause of all of our people, both in the National Assembly and across the length and breadth of Guyana, against a corrupt, incompetent and unconstitutional Granger-led Government.”
The party, which lost the 2015 elections after 23 years in power, said it is heartened by the assurance given that he remains a committed team player, who will work to ensure a resounding PPP/C victory at the upcoming elections.
“We wish to assure all Guyanese that Bishop Edghill remains a valued and valuable member of our team and will certainly play a critical role in the next PPP/C Administration, in executing our Manifesto promises to the electorate. We wish to thank Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips, Bishop Edghill and Hugh Todd for participating in this very important process.”
Meanwhile, in a released letter that he had sent to Bharrat Jagdeo, General Secretary of the PPP, Edghill, a former Junior Minister of Finance, said it was a great honour to have been nominated a possible candidate for the PPP/C’s Prime Ministerial position in the March 2020 elections.
“The support and words of encouragement from leaders and members within the party has been extremely heartening. My position of interest was publicly articulated that I am interested – willing and able to serve in that capacity. Notwithstanding, the popular views expressed by persons known and unknown to me, and the embrace by our activists and comrades throughout the country and in the Diaspora, subsequent to the commencement of this process, I engaged in deeper personal reflection and prayerful consideration.”
He said that his preference was for a consensus candidate to emerge from this process.
“The bigger picture of an electoral victory for the PPP/C trumps personal ambition and desires. After a relentless and difficult struggle against this Granger-led regime, ensuring there are no encumbrances to Victory and the preservation of unity among our supporters is paramount. As such, I write to formally inform and request of you, that I believe it is of strategic value that I no longer be considered for the party’s Prime Ministerial candidacy at this time.”
He pledged his continued support for the party and its presidential candidate, Irfaan Ali.