Nearly a year after being ousted from office, a clash has erupted in the PPP leadership with former President Bharrat Jagdeo at the centre of the maelstrom and a crucial party congress is likely to be deferred as officials tussle to consolidate their positions.
“Everyone is fighting to get internal voters on their side to better their chances at the top spot. It is a lot going on,” a source close to the PPP leadership told Stabroek News. “There are cliques and it deals with those aligned with specific members of the hierarchy. If this person knows that you are talking to or shows an open likeness for this or that person, then one clique leader tries to sideline that person. So you see people are afraid to openly show likeness especially when Jagdeo is around,” another source said.
A PPP congress is due this year according to the party’s constitution but the sources told Stabroek News that the issue is not being discussed by the hierarchy of the party and it is very unlikely that it will come off this year. A major shakeup of the current executive is expected at the party gathering.
When contacted yesterday, PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee confirmed that a date for the congress has not yet been set while party executive and current parliamentary Chief Whip Gail Teixeira denied that there was infighting. Rohee said he could not definitely say whether the PPP congress will be held before the end of the year. “You will know that later on in the year,” he told Stabroek News.
According to Stabroek News’ sources, the current atmosphere between members is tense which could be the reason why no date is being set. The source said that the hostile atmosphere among the executives has to do with choosing the new leadership and possible presidential candidate for the 2020 General and Regional elections. Currently, there are factions and division among members, the source related.
Another source emphasised that the congress was necessary for stability and a concretised future for the party.
Efforts to contact Jagdeo, who is now the Leader of the Opposition, proved futile as several calls to his mobile phone went unanswered. This newspaper understands that he is currently out of the country.
Currently, the source said, Jagdeo has his sights set on trying for a third term as president. Now retired Chief Justice Ian Chang on July 9 this year ruled that the two-term presidential term-limit is unconstitutional without the approval of the people through a referendum, thereby creating an opening for another run by Jagdeo. The government has signalled that it will appeal this decision.
However, a showdown looms as Rohee also has presidential aspirations. Some party members also believe that former Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony should lead the party in 2020 while others are rooting for former Minister of Housing Irfaan Ali.
Jagdeo appears to have revived his profile as the most credible campaigner and vote-getter as he intensively campaigned for the PPP in the recently held local government elections and has boasted of his party’s overall vote garnering performance. He had said before the 2015 general elections that he was not interested in returning to lead the party but nonetheless made a comeback that has seen him now being Leader of the Opposition.
Meantime, it is unclear if former President Donald Ramotar will contest for any leadership position in the party. When contacted yesterday, the former president declined to comment.
But the source said that “nothing should be ruled out” and emphasised that a congress is needed to especially deal with the bickering between members.
Teixeira, when contacted, said while she too does not have a date on when the congress will be held, it is a lie if anyone alleges infighting. “A date has not been set as yet, as far as I know,” she stated.
When asked about major issues that would be on the agenda should a date be set and if not holding congress one year since losing office indicated there was party infighting, she responded: “No. It’s a matter internally for the party to set its own date. It has not set a date as yet. There are no issues. The issue is the party to decide when it will do a date. But there are no issues. I don’t know what you are talking about.
“When we set the date all of that will be discussed. I am not here to conjecture what the party will decide. The party will decide and I am not going to speculate what will be the issues now, sorry,” she added.
Further probed on the allegations of infighting, Teixeira dismissed the claims saying that anyone who alleges same was out to create mischief. “I don’t have a clue what you are talking about and whoever is giving Stabroek News that information is causing mischief and deliberately lying to Stabroek News and I have nothing more to say. You better be careful with your source,” she asserted.
The last PPP congress was held in Berbice in August 2013. Then, Ramotar had gained the most votes with 886 followed by Jagdeo with 851. Anthony had gained 724 votes followed by former Attorney General Anil Nandlall with 690 and Teixeira with 651 to round out the top five positions.
Although denying that he was interested in a presidential third term, there was rampant speculation that Jagdeo wanted another tilt at the presidency. Further, at a decision-making forum of the party shortly after the 2015 general elections, Jagdeo was hailed as the leader according to well-placed sources. He was credited with being largely responsible for the PPP/C gathering an extra 38,000 votes at the polls. Critics have however noted that it was gained on the back of a divisive campaign of scaremongering and race-baiting. In the selection of the Opposition Leader, former PPP executive Ralph Ramkarran has said that Ramotar was supported by nine persons from the 35 voting members of the PPP Central Committee with the rest supporting Jagdeo.
