The PPP Executive Committee has given the nod for its Candidate Member and Irfan Ali’s appointment as Minister of Housing and Water by President Bharrat Jagdeo.

Stabroek News understands that the nod was given at the party’s Executive Committee meeting which was held on Friday.

This newspaper also understands that Ali’s name was taken from a list that included PPP MP Moses Nagamootoo, who was not favourably considered by some of the senior heads of the party.

Ali, a Member of parliament and elected Central Committee Member (CCM) of the party, was also elected as the party’s finance secretary.    

Apart from replacing the outgoing minister Harrinarine Nawbatt in the Ministry of Housing and Water, Ali has also replaced him as the party’s finance secretary. President Jagdeo has announced that Nawbatt has been appointed Guyana’s ambassador to Brazil, taking over from career diplomat Dr Cheryl Miles.

One party source told Stabroek News that since the party’s congress in August, Ali was being groomed for the position.

This newspaper also understands that another party stalwart and Central Committee Member Mitra Devi Ali, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Legal Affairs, is also being groomed for a ministerial post.

Though the President did not answer directly, when asked at a recent press conference if he was going to reshuffle his Cabinet or make some other changes, he said that changes could be made at any time. (Miranda La Rose)