Donald Ramotar, Elisabeth Harper, Robert Persaud, Ashni Singh and Dr Nanda Gopaul not on PPP/C “st

By Michael Younge, Guyana Times

The People’s Progressive Party/Civic has selected 32 individuals who will represent the party in the 65-seat legislature whenever it decides to put in an appearance in the Government-controlled Parliament.

The list seen by Guyana Times on Monday, which still remains unconfirmed, boasts several surprises as it is reflective of a strong youth corps balanced with experience and several political heavyweights who have served in various advisory positions to the Party while in Government.

This newspaper understands that former President Bharrat Jagdeo is still being courted by the Party to accept the position of Chief Parliamentarian and Opposition Leader in the 11th Parliament.

Additionally, former President Donald Ramotar who was the Party’s 2015 Presidential Candidate will not return to the Parliament to serve at that level.

The Party’s Prime Ministerial Candidate Elisabeth Harper through engaged with its Executive at this level will not join its parliamentary core group.

This newspaper managed to confirm that former Government Ministers Robert Persaud, Dr Ashni Singh and Dr Nanda Kishore Gopaul will not feature on the Party’s‘re-elected’ list.

PPP/C Executives likely to return are Irfaan Ali, Priya Manickchand, Bishop Juan Edghill, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Pauline Sukhai, Gail Teixeira, Anil Nandlall, Dr Frank Anthony, Dr Vindya Persaud and Clement Rohee.

New faces which could represent the PPP/C in Parliament are Ronald Harsaywack, Charles Ramson Junior, Dr Clive Jagan, Shyam Nokta Junior, Colin Croal and Nigel Dharmalall.

Several other young people and others with a wealth of experience have featured on various lists for parliamentary appointment.

Not finalised

A source close to the Party’s Executive Committee, speaking during an invited comment, said “there is still time for the sanitisation of the list. The final list has not been finalised”.

The source would make no other comment except to say that “Guyanese will be pleasantly surprised, because the team we will field will be a fighting team”.

Pressed by the media on Monday at his weekly press conference, Party General Secretary Clement Rohee confirmed that the Members of Parliament have been selected. However, he continued to maintain that all the necessary information would be revealed whenever the Party went to a Parliament.

The Party has been crying foul on the decision taken by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to declare that the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition had won the General and Regional Elections which took place on May 11 last, claiming that the electoral process was rigged thorough a collaborative effort between the APNU+AFC and the elections body.

“We have our own agenda. Not so much the Opposition Leader, but what will be required of the Party in the next few months and years ahead. We will have to go in there in fighting force in a combative way within the confines of the Standing Orders, defending the policies and programmes of the PPP/C Administration, exposing the Government in all their shortcomings and showing supporters and the general Guyanese public that we have an interest in following our modus operandi in Parliament that we are a force to be reckoned with inside and outside of Parliament, because we are committed to parliamentary as well as extra-parliamentary struggle”, Rohee said of the PPP/C’s commitment to the work of Parliament.

Rohee said his Party, in the National Assembly, will reveal its Leader, Deputy Speaker and Chief Whip.

During the second sitting of Parliament last Thursday, APNU+AFC MPs began debating the speech delivered by President David Granger at the opening on June 10. The following day Government was also able to pass the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill (AML/CFT), which was stalled in the 11th Parliament.By Michael YoungeThe People’s Progressive Party/Civic has selected 32 individuals who will represent the party in the 65-seat legislature whenever it decides to put in an appearance in the Government-controlled Parliament.The list seen by Guyana Times on Monday, which still remains unconfirmed, boasts several surprises as it is reflective of a strong youth corps balanced with experience and several political heavyweights who have served in various advisory positions to the Party while in Government.This newspaper understands that former President Bharrat Jagdeo is still being courted by the Party to accept the position of Chief Parliamentarian and Opposition Leader in the 11th Parliament.

Additionally, former President Donald Ramotar who was the Party’s 2015 Presidential Candidate will not return to the Parliament to serve at that level.The Party’s Prime Ministerial Candidate Elisabeth Harper through engaged with its Executive at this level will not join its parliamentary core group.This newspaper managed to confirm that former Government Ministers Robert Persaud, Dr Ashni Singh and Dr Nanda Kishore Gopaul will not feature on the Party’s‘re-elected’ list.PPP/C Executives likely to return are Irfaan Ali, Priya Manickchand, Bishop Juan Edghill, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Pauline Sukhai, Gail Teixeira, Anil Nandlall, Dr Frank Anthony, Dr Vindya Persaud and Clement Rohee.New faces which could represent the PPP/C in Parliament are Ronald Harsaywack, Charles Ramson Junior, Dr Clive Jagan, Shyam Nokta Junior, Colin Croal and Nigel Dharmalall.Several other young people and others with a wealth of experience have featured on various lists for parliamentary appointment.Not finalisedA source close to the Party’s Executive Committee, speaking during an invited comment, said “there is still time for the sanitisation of the list.

The final list has not been finalised”.The source would make no other comment except to say that “Guyanese will be pleasantly surprised, because the team we will field will be a fighting team”.Pressed by the media on Monday at his weekly press conference, Party General Secretary Clement Rohee confirmed that the Members of Parliament have been selected. However, he continued to maintain that all the necessary information would be revealed whenever the Party went to a Parliament.The Party has been crying foul on the decision taken by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to declare that the A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition had won the General and Regional Elections which took place on May 11 last, claiming that the electoral process was rigged thorough a collaborative effort between the APNU+AFC and the elections body.“We have our own agenda.

Not so much the Opposition Leader, but what will be required of the Party in the next few months and years ahead. We will have to go in there in fighting force in a combative way within the confines of the Standing Orders, defending the policies and programmes of the PPP/C Administration, exposing the Government in all their shortcomings and showing supporters and the general Guyanese public that we have an interest in following our modus operandi in Parliament that we are a force to be reckoned with inside and outside of Parliament, because we are committed to parliamentary as well as extra-parliamentary struggle”, Rohee said of the PPP/C’s commitment to the work of Parliament.Rohee said his Party, in the National Assembly, will reveal its Leader, Deputy Speaker and Chief Whip.During the second sitting of Parliament last Thursday, APNU+AFC MPs began debating the speech delivered by President David Granger at the opening on June 10. The following day Government was also able to pass the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill (AML/CFT), which was stalled in the 11th Parliament.