Following the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) loss in last year’s May 11 general elections, some of its former ministers have moved to new pastures outside the country while others remain here though not representing the party in the National Assembly.
The PPP/C had replaced just under one-third of its Members of Parliament from the 10th Parliament. These include former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and former Ministers of Finance, Foreign Affairs, Public Works, Natural Resources, Labour, Human Services, Local Government, and Agriculture, respectively Ashni Singh, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Robeson Benn, Robert Persaud, Nanda Kishore Gopaul, Jennifer Webster, Norman Whittaker and Leslie Ramsammy.
Ramsammy’s junior Ali Baksh as well as parliamentarians Bibi Shadick and Kwame Gilbert are off the PPP/C parliamentary list as well.
When contacted, Rodrigues-Birkett told Stabroek News that she currently is working in Rome for the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). “I am presently spending much needed time with my family while working for the UN FAO Partnerships office based in Rome,” she said.
Stabroek News understands that Singh is currently working overseas and while some say he is in the Maldives, persons close to him say he is not though they informed that the former Finance Minister has taken up an overseas job. The source was quick to say that Singh nonetheless remains committed to the party and should he be asked for assistance in areas of his expertise, he would be willing to give it.
Former Natural Resources Minister Persaud also lives overseas but is not yet working as sources say he is still trying to have his family settled. Persaud, Stabroek News was told, lives in New York and has no plans of returning to Guyana as he has taken up residency there.
Only recently, Persaud sold his online news agency Inews to the Bobby Ramroop-owed Queens Atlantic Investments.
Also living in the United States is former Minister of Health Ramsammy who now works for Harvard University as he teaches a course on Human Rights.
Meantime, Gopaul informed that he is not currently working but is “on a long and much needed vacation.” Questioned on whether he will return to active politics when his vacation ends Gopaul said he would “rather not say at this time.”
Both Benn and Whittaker are working for the party in preparation for the upcoming Local Government Elections.
Benn is also a GECOM Commissioner and has said he also has consultancy jobs since he is an experienced and certified geologist.
Baksh has retired to live at his Essequibo home but he too is involved in galvanizing support for his party at the upcoming local government elections.
Stabroek News made several attempts to contact Webster but these were futile. Current members of the PPP/C seem to also not know about the former Minister of Human Services’ whereabouts with one person positing that that she “has kept a very low profile.”
Meanwhile, former parliamentarian Gilbert has gone back to ministering at his church while Shadick continues to practise law but is very active in the PPP/C. She also serves as a Commissioner for the party at GECOM.
