The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has begun the process of electing a prime ministerial candidate, and according to the Party’s General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, three persons have so far been nominated.
This was revealed during a press conference at the Opposition Leader’s Church Street, Georgetown office on Monday. When asked for an update on the selection process, Jagdeo confirmed that the process has since started.
“The discussions will start today (Monday),” Jagdeo said. “Last week I mentioned we’ll trigger the process. So, I arranged that. The discussions on the candidates, we’re going to be getting nominations in and start discussing names.
“The process is Members of Parliament (MP) and subsequently, the Executive and Central Committee. I have a meeting planned today (Monday) with both the Members of Parliament and the executives of the Party.”
He also explained that so far, at least three persons have been nominated for the position.
He was also optimistic that a candidate would be selected in time for Nomination Day.
Reports are that former Junior Finance Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill, and former Army Chief-of-Staff, retired Brigadier Mark Phillips have been nominated.
Additionally, University of Guyana lecturer Hugh Todd, is also believed to have been nominated.
Phillips served as Chief-of-Staff of the GDF from 2013 to 2016. He previously attended the Royal Military Academy of Sandhurst in the United Kingdom and was Guyana’s non-resident military attaché to Venezuela. Phillips is also the holder of a Master’s Degree in Public Sector Management.
Meanwhile, Bishop Edghill served as Junior Finance Minister from 2011 to 2015. Before that, he served as Chairman of the Guyana Post Office Corporation (GPOC) and Chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC). Edghill is currently a PPP/C MP, focused on public procurement issues.
