People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) presidential candidate Irfaan Ali yesterday maintained that he will not be a puppet for former president and current PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo should his party win office.
The declaration was made yesterday by Ali during a joint press conference with Jagdeo at the office of the Leader of the Opposition on Church Street yesterday.
With the March 2nd, 2020 elections a little more than two months away, Jagdeo continues to be the face of the opposition party through frequent press engagements. Ali has not been as present. Meanwhile, President David Granger, after a multi-year hiatus from regular meetings with independent media outlets, has ramped up press engagements in recent weeks.
Pressed last Friday on when Ali will start making more appearances and have more media engagements, Jagdeo promised reporters that Ali would address the press this week.
During yesterday’s press conference, Ali touched on several areas in which he said the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition-led government has dropped the ball.
In addition to iterating promises to reclaim lost jobs and trigger growth in critical sectors, Ali argued that despite the growth Guyana’s economy continues to enjoy, the quality of life for citizens continues to decline.
Not a puppet
Debate as to whether Ali was merely selected to function as a “puppet” at Jagdeo’s beck and call and questions as to the authenticity of several of his academic qualifications, however, have remained proverbial thorns in the side of Ali since he announced his presidential run.
Such claims pushed Ali, shortly after he was elected to be the party’s presidential candidate, to declare that he does not see himself as anyone’s puppet.
In his first engagement with the press after his election, he had said, “I see myself as a part of a team and not as an individual. I am part of a team, the People’s Progressive Party’s team, and that team will be widened. That team develops an agenda—a programme that I am committed to.”
The presidential hopeful sought to set the record straight yesterday. “I can assure you that my position will be independent, with the collective, that is, the Cabinet. We will be part of a team and that is our approach to governance he told reporters,
Asked whether safeguards will be implemented to ensure that he is not manipulated by Jagdeo, Ali said “I do not see how it is linked to my independence as an individual, as I would be leader of Cabinet.” He also gave assurances that in an Ali-led Cabinet, weakness in function and failure to live to up expectations will mean that decisions will have to be made. He did not specify the exact nature of those decisions.
It is important to note that during the most recent PPP/C-led government, with the exception of former Health Minister Bheri Ramsaran, no minister was ever removed due to claims of inefficiencies, despite criticisms levelled against several of them.
Ramsaran lost his post after he unleashed a torrent of abuse against an activist and was recorded threatening to have her stripped.
It is equally important to note that no such action has been taken under the current administration either. At most, ministers have been transferred, albeit with no acknowledgment of any transgressions that may have been committed.
Jagdeo’s role
Jagdeo will play a significant role, however, during the election process, although what role he would play if the PPP/C returns to power remains uncertain.
Ali said that it has been the tradition of the PPP that the General Secretary of the party hold the post of leader of the party’s national top-up list. As leader of the list, Jagdeo would possess power to select or remove the party’s Members of Parliament (MPs).
However, Ali explained that Jagdeo would not have the sole authority to make such a decision under party rules.
“The General Secretary is one person in the Central Committee, and issues of those natures go to the Central Committee and Executive Committee,” he said.
Due to this system, Ali said he is not worried about the powers of recall being used unilaterally, and carelessly. He further expressed confidence in Jagdeo’s ability to do what would be required of him as leader of the party’s list.
Ali also reminded that he has asked Jagdeo to serve as a vice-president if the PPP/C returns to power. Jagdeo, however, sitting beside Ali, smiled, as he repeated that he has not yet decided what role he will play if the party wins the coming election.
In any event, all ministers, including the Prime Minister, must be appointed by the president.
Further, despite Ali’s assurances, and the inner workings of the PPP, power to appoint persons as Members of Parliament and to recall persons from Parliament, is reposed by law in the leader in the list alone.
Dirty politics
Ali also criticised the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) after accusing it of practising dirty politics. Last week, a full page advertisement appeared in several local newspapers expressing a view that Ali, as the PPP/C presidential candidate, would hurt the party’s chances of winning the coming elections.
The advertisement presented questions about the authenticity Ali’s academic qualifications, and litigation against him for fraud as reasons why Ali is undeserving and unfit to be the presidential candidate.
Ali, however, declared that the ad was paid for by the PNCR, while stating that the party has made it very clear that it is behind the ad.
Instead of offering a response in kind, however, Ali said, “I am not interested in negative campaigning. I am not going to burden myself with negativity.”
Meanwhile, Jagdeo, weighing in on the same subject, said the party expected negative campaigning from APNU.
“We knew APNU had to come along with this negative sort of campaigning…the PPP/C has stayed away from the many faults of President David Ganger…his suitability to be the next presidential candidate of APNU, but we knew this is the only card that they can play through these sneaky ads,” he said, while encouraging the PNCR to make such statements openly if it wished to make them.
Jagdeo, in an effort to demonstrate the level of support which exists for Ali among the party’s ranks, reminded the public that he “was selected by 24 of 35 members of the Central Committee in a democratic process.”
Prime ministerial candidate
Finally, Jagdeo, again, promised reporters that the process toward producing the PPP/C’s prime ministerial candidate would formally commence yesterday. This promise was made last Friday, as well as earlier this year. This process includes the nomination of persons to vie for the post. “We have some people who were nominated already… at least three persons,” Jagdeo said.
It is unclear how this reality is possible given that Jagdeo said that the process, including “conversations,” were supposed to take place yesterday.
Stabroek News has been told that UG lecturer Hugh Todd, former Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Juan Edghill and former GDF Chief of Staff Mark Phillips are seen as the leading candidates for the prime ministerial position.
