June 7, 2011

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June 7, 2011 / Caribbean / Guyana

Jagdeo faces a fight

By Bert Wilkinson

Fighting to ensure the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) does not win a fifth consecutive term in office amidst widespread allegations of runaway corruption and links to the underworld, a major opposition coalition is to be offered to Guyanese voters this week ahead of general elections expected in the fall.

To be led by retired Brig. Gen. David Granger, 65, a former Guyana Defense Force commander and respected historian, the Partnership For National Unity comprising the main opposition People’s National Congress (PNC), the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and at least two other small parties has pledged to do all it can to unseat the PPP for power after 19 consecutive years in office and amidst mounting allegations that its major players are siphoning off millions from a string of development projects now underway in the country.

For now officials say, no prime ministerial candidate will be named on the coalition’s slate for the 65 seats in parliament. The plan is to allow interested groups, including other political parties and civil society combinations, to join the coalition and even nominate a prime ministerial candidate as well as offer others for parliamentary seats.

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A multiparty coalition in neighboring Suriname took a similar route for mid last year’s general elections, allowing former military strongman Desi Bouterse to be its presidential candidate but permitting the private sector to nominate and seal off the position of vice president.

Rupert Roopnarine, one of the main opposition players behind the coalition and a former WPA leader, said he hopes the country will appreciate the “historic magnanimity of the PNC” to combine with other groups in the interest of national unity specifically for the sake of unseating the PPP which has already said it is confident of keeping the group in opposition for another five years.

“The PNC has been around for more than 50 years and people have to understand what has happened here.The name PNC will not be on the ballot for the first time in decades. This is an historic concession for national unity. The PPP will never agree to something like that,” Roopnarine said at the weekend.

Party voting symbols including the PNC’s palm tree and the WPA’s bell, will disappear for this year’s polls, merging into the symbol of an outstretched hand, but the former legislator says there are still issues to be worked out over the next four weeks.

The move by the coalition to get its house in order comes just days after GECOM, the elections commission, said it was getting ready for an October-November poll, even though 50,000 identification- or voter-registration cards are still to be collected by potential voters and as all parties complain about voters getting difficulty obtaining birth certificates and other documents with accurate information.

The PPP has already named Donald Ramotar, a certified economist and general secretary of the University of Guyana to be its candidate, as incumbent Bharrat Jagdeo is barred constitutionally from running for a third consecutive term.

Party officials say he is likely to hover in the background pressing political buttons, but that it is unclear whether he will take up any official position.

→Trinidad and Tobago: T&T PM stands by her works minister

Reader Feedback

Rick Persaud from New York says:

Without the young power house of Peter Ramsaroop on this ticket to bring the 60% voting population of young people out, the old 65 club of Granger, Roopnarine, Corbin etc will not even get the older ones out to vote. Guyana needs young leadership that inspire. Rick Persaud.

June 11, 2011, 12:49 pm

Lincoln from Hall says:

Mr. Persaud. I am young man in guyana of afro desent and i agree with u 100% we are not going to stand in any line for Granger if the coaltion cannot attract our visionary leader we are all voting the Guyana's People partnership (GPP) funny they took what ramsaroop have also partnership shows he is making impact all around

June 11, 2011, 12:53 pm

Rick Persaud from New York says:

Lincoln that is good to know, from my sources Peter Ramsaroop has made significant impact among young people. they look up to his economic vision and his success. He is much more Military than Granger. he served in the US Military and in a War. Granger army and militia was bad for Guyana under Burnham. The PPP will highlight all of that. We need new leadership.

June 11, 2011, 1 pm

Anita Sukraj from Kitty says:

folks I agree. I am not voting for the 65 club of Ramator, Granger or Failed Roopnariane 65. We need fresh people havent these guys done enough bad for Guyana move on move out give we young people a chance.

June 11, 2011, 1:04 pm

Andre from GT says:

I stand 100% with the Mr Granger and am a young person 21 to be exact and a proud member of the youths for David Granger a group of motivated young who weekly advise Mr. Granger and whom are integrally involved in his campaign. Lets all get on board and put in our lot to provide a good life for all Guyanese! Respectfully i would love for Mr. Ramsaroop to return to the coalition so we can all put our hands to the wheel, he must realize that he has run before and lost and with the vibrancy that we bring he will be able to make a greater impact with our block....him alone with no constituency cannot even get into Parliament to assist he decision making process.

June 11, 2011, 3:47 pm

Lasie from W/C Demerara says:

As a young woman im impressed by miter Granger's statement of ensuring equality to women an issue that has had little attention for decades...I stand with him, and am goin to do my part on the West Coast to secure victory, i believe that all Guyanese deserve a good life! He has my vote and support!

June 11, 2011, 3:51 pm

Tasha from GT says:

Andre I under 30 and I am not excited by Mr. granger and who he has around him. I have been following GPP and from what I know Mr. Ramsaroop only went with the REFORM and never went and loss. When one say GPP has no constituency I have to smile, the PNC said that in 2006 with the AFC and they loss 5 seats. The emrging youths in Guyana is behind the GPP and I am part of it. Tasha, if you have not seen some of our activities check out www.votetheg.com

June 11, 2011, 5:50 pm

Royce D'Andrade from USA says:

Most of you guys and gals , have failed to remember that Mr. Jagdeo was young when he was selected for the office. 19 years after you can look at his track record in office and see if young is the only criteria for the office of the presidency. So be careful, young and old can have a poor vision for the direction of the country.

June 12, 2011, 11:26 am

Arnold from gt says:

i am part of the GPP for a better guyana . to some who may lack vision or have big ego's i am sure that they are surprise that the GPP have come from nowhere with nothing and have been the fastest growing political group ready to make a change in guyana. over the past few months the GPP gave started to be a power house in the political arena in Guyana with most Major players asking for the GPP to be part of their team, however the GPP is about making a difference in the lives of the Guyanese people, we are a group who believes that if we can't be honest with the Guyanese population and be able to make that change for a better Guyana and most of all be honest with themselves then we should not be in this fight for a better guyana. we are a parthership group looking to being an equal parthner with each individual in Guyana for a better country for ourselves and our children. REMEMBER OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE LETS FORGET THE RACE BASED POLITICS AND BUILD A FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN. PLEASE WORK WITH THE COMMITTED INDIVIDUALS IN THE GPP AS TOGETHER WE WILL DEVELOP GUYANA .

June 12, 2011, 11:35 am

ROXANNE from GT says:

Leadership is the wise use of power. Power is the capacity to translate intention into reality and sustain it......Warren C Bennis.

MY VOTE WOULD BE ANY PARTY WHO PUTS THE COUNTRY FIRST, BRINGING IT BACK TO WHAT IT WAS THE FOOD BASKET FOR THE CARIBBEAN. BUY SIGING A AFFIDAVITS THAT IS BINDING TO THE LAWS OF GUYANA IF ITS POSSIBLE ( or any other legal documents that holds against otherwise )
GUYANA HAVE TWO MUCH RESOOURS AND ECONOMIC POTENTIALSTO BE POOR.

TO MANY TIMES WE WERE PROMISED THAT GUYANA WILL BE THE COUNTRY THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF ITS ECONOMIC CHANGES BEFORE ELECTIONS THEN AFTER THE NATION IS WORST OFF THAN BEFORE. WE ARE HAVING AND STILL HAVING A BRAIN DRAIN IN THE COUNTRY MORE SO WE WANT TO HAVE MIGTANTS COMING HOME AND HAVE SOMETHING WORTH COMING HOME FOR AND TO THOSE WHO WANT TO INVEST IN THE COUNTRY.

LAST BUT NOT LEASE LET US PUT RACE BASED POLITICS BEHIND. CANT WE SEE THAT OUR YOUNGER GENERATION ARE HAVING INTO RACIAL MARRIAGES MEANING THEY ARE STEPING AWAY FROM RACE HATE AND REPLACE IT WITH TRUE LOVE. ITS TIME WE ALL LIVE WITH LOVE AND UNITY .

June 12, 2011, 1:05 pm

ROXANNE from GT/ BDOS says:

Please add Gt/ B'Dos to the above

June 12, 2011, 1:10 pm

Phil from Annadale says:

This was taken from a Post on FB by an Individual asking this question:

well i am thinking since guyana won't be getting oil or its revenue until the next 7-10 years and they hydro won't be completed till the next 7 yrs what the hell do i do in guyana till then? any advise anyone:
............................
Mr. Ramsaroop from the GPP responded this way:

Peter Ramsaroop
Arnold . That is why the GPP blueprint calls for a Transport Led and and Energy Driven Economy. We have to move to different Industries which includes the Deep Water Harbour, move to Ethanol as Brazil has done and smaller hydro falls projects will create energy solutions at the local level such as Bartica. In addition Wind and Solar power along the coastal plains, Linden, Wakenan and Leguan can radically change the way we do business in Guyana. Ramator said he is sattisified the way Guyana is and will sustain it. In 5 years the migration will tell the story unless we do Real Change now. Peter R. www.votetheg.com

..................................
what I was impress it is a vision with action and a grouping that is putting Guyana first Roaxanne

June 12, 2011, 3:07 pm

John says:

Guyanese young and old, Be familiar with your history....... EVERYONE knows what happened in our past.... Its all documented in the History of Guyana and In the heart of Guyanese.... Progress Will Continue come November 28th 2011
NEVER AGAIN MR. GRANGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nov. 23, 2011, 10:55 pm

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