Jagdeo gets overwhelming support at internal elections

PPP’s 31st Congress

…as Party elects new Central Committee

Former President Bharrat Jagdeo has emerged with the most votes at the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) internal elections for its new Central Committee.
The internal elections were held on Saturday following the opening ceremony of the 31st Congress of the PPP and the results were announced on Monday as the curtains closed on the event.

Those elected to the 35-seat Central Committee are: Bharrat Jagdeo with 718 votes; Dr Frank Anthony with 620 votes; Gail Teixeira with 583 votes; Donald Ramotar with 570; Anil Nandlall with 548; Clement Rohee with 522; Ganga Persaud with 512; Irfaan Ali with 511 votes; Zulfikar Mustapha, with 496 votes; Shyam Nokta with 495; Indra Chandarpal with 490; Dr Roger Luncheon with 488; Pauline Sukhai with 460; Nigel Dharamlall with 453 votes; Dr Vindiya Persaud with 439 votes; Hydar Ally with 422; and Vickram Bharrat with 408.
Also making the Central Committee cut are Dharankumar Seeraj with 393; Komal Chand with 378; Collin Croal with 360; Alister Charlie with 356; Brian Allicock with 326; Neil Kumar with 321 votes; David Armogan with 317 votes; Jennifer Westford with 304 votes; Vishwa Mahadeo with 289; Clinton Collymore with 287; Kwame McCoy with 281 votes; Dr Bheri Ramsaran with 278; Faizal Jaffaraly with 277; Majeed Hussain with 267 votes; Rickey Ramdat with 260 votes; Claire Singh with 255; Anand Persaud with 242; and Mitra Devi Ally with 230 votes.
The new Central Committee will be meeting shortly and among other items on the agenda will be the election of a new Executive Committee and the Party’s Secretariat.

The Executive Committee consists of 15 members and is the highest decision making forum within the Party. Additionally, over the three days, members brainstormed mechanisms that can propel the Party in the direction of success, with the view of continuing to transform the lives of every citizen for the better and of having a resounding victory in the 2020 elections.
Jagdeo told the Congress that the Party cannot be trapped by philosophy, urged members to face reality and accept that weaknesses exist within the Party which ultimately led to their narrow defeat in the 2015 General and Regional Elections.
“If we do not have honest opinion then we cannot fix the problems that led us to being in Opposition, how do we rebuild from this as a party?” he emphasised.
He maintained, however, that the PPP was cheated during the last elections but conceded that that aspect was not the main reason behind its current Opposition status.
Additionally, he said the PPP needs to begin the process of decentralisation and to build up its local leaders so that the Party is in “tip top” shape to address the challenges in society.
Jagdeo also dismissed suggestions that the older Party members are being side-lined, emphasising that their wealth of knowledge serves as the backbone of the PPP’s development.
He said it should be the honour of the stalwarts to instil the requisite knowledge and provide guidance to those upcoming vibrant minds who possess the vibrancy to thrust the Party forward.
Jagdeo also stressed that long-standing members should take pride in encouraging youths and women and to send a message that the PPP is open to all Guyanese.
The politician noted too that it is time to reach out to the disgruntled and disappointed A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change supporters who are also facing the burdens unleashed by the coalition Administration.
In this regard, Jagdeo underlined that the PPP will forever remain committed to the fundamental principle of being patriotic and tending to the needs of the grassroots. He acknowledged that though times have changed, the PPP will always be thankful to its Founding Leader, Dr Cheddi Jagan.