By Fareeza Haniff
[www.inewsguyana.com] – It has been approximately one month now since the swearing in of a new government but the Guyana’ only Opposition Party – the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) – is yet to select who will be its Opposition Leader.
There are reports that four executive members are being touted for the post, which includes former Presidents, Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar along with General Secretary, Clement Rohee and former Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh.
As a matter of fact, Dr Singh was firstly nominated by PPP member, Dr Vindhya Persaud, who in an email to the central executive committee, made it clear that the composition of the Opposition needs to be “credible and appealing not only to our support base but to every person who will vote in the next election.”
She explained that the Leader of the Opposition must be carefully chosen to reflect “youth, brilliance, articulate expression and a sound grasp of the country’s financial status.”
“I would like to propose Dr. Ashni Singh as representing these. Our opposition needs to be a blend of experience tempered with competent and politically astute youth. The experience of Gail Teixeira, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Indra Chandrapaul, Elisabeth Harper and Robeson Benn should not be squandered,” Dr Persaud had said in her email.
Additionally, Rohee, at a previous PPP press conference, had noted that he too would consider being the Opposition Leader if offered the position but on Monday, June 15, he dismissed reports that there is bickering within the Party for the post, noting that there is “healthy debate” ongoing.
When asked, he could not confirm if indeed Jagdeo, Ashni, Ramotar and himself are contending for the post.
“All of that is good and healthy debate within the PPP. Individual members are free to identify their preferences until such time reaches in the debate when one candidate emerges but at this point in time, any Party member is free to suggest who they think is suitably qualified to hold that position and that’s healthy for the PPP,” Rohee explained.
Meanwhile, the Party is still to compile its list of parliamentarians even after boycotting the opening session on June 10. Rohee again insisted that the issue is still under “constant evaluation” by the executive committee.
He explained that the PPP/C is still discussing and selecting its Regional Councillors, after which they will turn their attention to who will be in Parliament.
Rohee made it clear that the PPP/C will not heed the advice of the many diplomats and organisations calling for the Party to take its seat in the National Assembly.
“We’re approaching this thing at our own pace; we’re not approaching this based on what somebody might have said in the newspaper. These are our seats to which we were granted… they will be taken up at the appropriate time when the Party considers it necessary to do so,” the General Secretary said.
He reminded that in 1997, former President Desmond Hoyte and his team boycotted Parliament for two years. An upset Rohee noted that the PPP/C cannot possibly attend Parliament when its members and supporters are being “witch hunted.”
“How do you expect the PPP to respond to this invitation for talks on inclusive and shared governance in the Parliament when you are witch hunting our members and supporters? How does the APNU+AFC coalition expect this to happen? Our supporters and our members are being mistreated in a manner that is totally unbecoming…and at the same time you are telling us that we must sit with you and talk? About what?” Rohee questioned.
He further noted that the issue is an internal one for the PPP.
“You can’t be behaving like this towards the PPP and expect we would go like sheep to talks or into Parliament. We’re not going to be duped into those situations,” Rohee said.
You seem to have lost your basic senses.
With the inexplicable accumulation of wealth, sole sourcing of hospital drugs, giving away of radio and tv licenses to friends and family and many other scandals, you are still asking for evidence?
You are telling people that they are shallow because they do not believe what is being propagated by the PPP controlled media.
Should Shanta’s words be taken from the PPP racist electioneering manual?
You are just an idiot who is bitter because your soup drinking days are over and maybe you and your other PPP criminals will be going to jail soon.
2015 election results = true beginning of racial unity + building a new and better Guyana. Guyanese are getting there. Come on PPP… wake up.
Not Priya she’s too uncouth
Good god, four of the ugliest men I have seen in a long while..and if that’s the best they can do then they will be in opposition for a long while yet….thieves and roaches the lot of them
Shanta, your comment here is taken directly, word for word-verbatim- from the APNU/AFC electioneering manual. That is what they have been brainwashing the Guyanese people with all through the past three years and yet still, they have not come up with one shred of credible evidence to back up their accusations. You, like a parrot, just repeat what you have heard or read from either Stabroek or Kaeiteur news. If you believe on a fair and objective way, you would have read as much as possible and come up with an objective conclusion. But looking through your clouded and prejudiced lens, you seem to be too shallow to make any objective assessment.And that’s pathetic!!!!
them still believe in that thief jagdeo to lead the goats and sheep in the pee peepee
I agree with Rohee, they should not enter Parliament as sheep, they should enter Parliament as GOATS. As a matter of fact, the Crooks should all be banned from the sacred House of Assembly called Parliament. They are Devils who have betrayed the Guyanese people for 23 years.
The PPP like they plan to be in opposition for a long time. Not with the credibility of all the financial transaction by the ppp when in Govt.
Who is best candidate for opposition leader surely we cannot find him in the PPP.
Who is the best candidate outside the PPP welll best guess is …
In 1992, when the elections results were called fair and endorsed by the said Jimmy Carter it was as well and good for the PPP. Last month the observer Jimmy Carter called the election fair in the favour of the APNU/AFC coalition and it is a big problem for the PPP.
Disgust, Your are absolutely correct with when you mentioned “what the PPP did in 1992 to people like Adam Harris, Clarence Chue (customs), David Hales (diplomat in Brussels) just to name a few, that was witch-hunting.
In 2015, the key players in the PPP are crying out that a witch hunt campaign is on. If they want to use the word witch hunt they can it because witch hunt is an intensive effort to discover and expose dishonesty, or the like. The new government is showing the nation and the world the evidence. Look at the sugar corporation and the rice industry also look at the dishonest transfer of government vehicles to private parties three days before an election.
What Guyana needs is transformational growth. Transformational growth requires a high level of investment and rising productivity. This is achieved by establishing a strong enabling environment for private sector development, involving multiple elements: macroeconomic stability; a sound legal and regulatory system, including secure contract and property rights; effective control of corruption; a sound and efficient financial system; openness to trade and investment; sustainable debt management; investment in education, health, and workforce skills; infrastructure development; and sustainable use of natural resources.
It will take time to get the nation on track but with hard work and a committed and corruption free government thing can happen.
Shayne
Priya or Frank Anthony .
Let this circus continue , please support Mr Clement Rhoee for PPP leadership, after all he very competent in his own stupidity , Rhoee aka goat man for PPP leadership .
Look at the 4 crooks, they should be in jail.
It’s makes me sick to see their faces. They don’t deserve to sit in parliament.
They have disgraced the people’s house.
rohee have the gall to call the dismissal of their cronies/puppets as so called
witch hunt. That’s rich coming from these liars and upstarts who pillaged the people’s assets/monies giving away to their friends and family as if it was their own. You bunch are pathetic and barefaced to say the least.
Not with any you mention!!.Dr Singh has the brilliance , but is stained with, abiding with and furthering the Cabals indiscretions.I am sure the party has many, many, brilliant and honest people, who unfortunately will never see the light of day, with the present leadership
Now now!! this is funny this beat CNS (comedy non stop) is who really in government and got power to share it got to be the ppp or Rohee didn’t get the Memo dated 11th May 2015. Well to the coalition if there is no accountability (which the ppp is mistaking for witch-hunting) then you are giving your own officials licenses to be just as corrupt as the ppp. A strong message must be send against corruption and it has to be done now, gather your evidence and prosecute in accordance of the law and that is not witch hunting……what the ppp did in 1992 to people like Adam Harris, Clarence Chue (customs), David Hales (diplomat in Brussels) just to name a few, that was witch-hunting. Now “goatman” really!!! people please lets breath de fresh air. DON’T FIRE THEM, JAIL THEM
I would support Dr. Singh first, President Ramotar second Mr. Rohee third we just don’t need Jagdeo in this line up. And there is enough brilliance within the party to stage a great comeback in the next election. The country has had enough of Mr. jagdeo.
Witch-hunting is different from accountability. I remain amused by the fact that the PPP was brought down by the AFC, whose founding leaders were described by Ramotar in 2005 as ‘wishy-washy rejects’. Today, Ramotar epitomizes that description having been rejected by voters with two years left on his failed presidency.
Rohee, you have forgotten that you are not in a position to call the shots anymore. You have misunderstood that you are being allow to participate and shared your opinion don’t get it twisted . Yet you should be more than happy for that’s more you have given the opposition while you were the governance.
Was Hoyte witch-hunting in 1985? It’s the same thing going on now. What is different is that while Hoyte was clearing square pegs from round holes (some supporters of his own party), this time around the APNU+AFC is clearing incompetence, bigotry and corruption from the civil services.
Mr. Rohee you are well suited for comic relief. But I am not sure how well you will get the crowd to laugh