The opposition alliance APNU-AFC has described the PPP/C’s naming yesterday of career diplomat Elisabeth Harper to be its prime ministerial candidate as an act of desperation and one that signals division in the party.
The APNU-AFC press release follows:
APNU-AFC notes the naming of career diplomat Elizabeth Harper as Prime Ministerial candidate of the beleaguered minority PPP slate for the May 11 election.
APNU-AFC acknowledges Mrs Harper’s contribution to the civil service and as a career diplomat. However this move by the Freedom House handlers is one which confirms that the PPP is deeply divided and in disarray.
It speaks to the lack of leadership depth within the PPP. It speaks to the PPP’s woeful ineptitude in succession planning, both as a party and as a government. It speaks to the intense and bitter jockeying for power and the Prime Ministerial nomination in particular which has obviously become so acrimonious that an outside consensus candidate in Mrs. Harper had to have been introduced in an attempt to calm the acrimonious tensions. The public has seen adequate signs of the ongoing deep distrust and infighting that is thundering through the PPP.
APNU-AFC is also disappointed that Mrs. Harper would allow her name and professional reputation to be used by the PPP regime in a feeble attempt to mask the obscene levels of corruption with which it has become synonymous.
Nevertheless the PPP boats already “gone ah falls”. This appointment is the old PPP tactic of trying to cure a cancer with a bandaid and two paracetamols.
APNU-AFC also questions the intent of the PPP in naming former President Bharrat Jagdeo to an obscure senior non-constitutional position before naming their Prime Ministerial candidate who, it appears, will have even less powers than Sam Hinds had. Nevertheless it is all moot as Mrs. Harper’s chances of becoming PM on May 11th are nil, as are the PPP’s chances of victory.
The people of Guyana are prepared and waiting to evict the PPP from the seat of government and the desperate naming of Mrs. Harper as Prime Ministerial candidate will not avert their imminent loss.
Too little too late. Nothing can save the PPP now
