Preparations are ongoing for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C) 32nd Congress, which will be held from May 3 to 5 at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
The theme of this year’s biennial congress is “Strengthen the Party, Defend Guyana, Unite All Our People for Progress and Prosperity”.
During an appearance on the Guyana Dialogue programme, PPP/C Executive Member and current Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, disclosed that the Party’s list of members was still being finalised.
He believes that over 2000 delegates from the 10 administrative regions of Guyana and overseas groups will be participating in the exercise.
“We have 35 full members of the Central Committee and five candidate members. So, 40 persons, delegates and observers will be voted for the leadership of the party.”
“This will be a very important congress for us to charter the course forward and as you know, this is the highest decision-making forum of the Party, so we are anticipating and looking forward to this congress that will take us to the future,” Mustapha added.
The opening session of the PPP/C Congress will be open to Guyana’s media and a press briefing will be held when the proceedings conclude for the announcement of the outcome.
Mustapha said the General Secretary’s report would be made available to delegates ahead of congress, in an effort to promote transparency among Party members.
On this point, he explained that the report will also serve as a guide for decision-making within the party.
“The main issue is the General Secretary’s report and that will give us the guidance where delegates and observers will have a chance to discuss that report and make important decisions and suggestions so that the Congress can adopt those,” Mustapha said.
The 32nd Congress is overdue. According to the party’s constitution, it should have been held in 2019, however, it was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the Party’s last Congress, held in Essequibo from December 17 to December 19, 2016, Bharrat Jagdeo was elected General Secretary of the Party by secret ballot. That was the first time that Jagdeo had held the post of leader of the party.
He had secured the most votes (718) for the Party’s Central Committee (CC), for which 35 members were elected; 98 votes ahead of Dr Frank Anthony (620), giving him a mandate to take the reins of the party. Long-serving executive member and current Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira (583) emerged third.
Current President Dr Irfaan Ali, who secured 511 votes and had placed 15th in 2013, came at number eight in 2016. Already, President Ali has said that he would be running for a second term.
Guyana’s Constitution provides for a two-term limit.
Meanwhile, GS Jagdeo said that his position of General Secretary will also have to be determined by the Party’s members as it would “be presumptuous of me to say I will be General Secretary” after the Congress.
He made this comment during a press conference at Freedom House in January.
