Dear Editor,

The ruling People’s Progressive Party will be holding their biennial congress in August where it is expected the party will narrow down the most likely presidential candidate from among the aspiring hopefuls. It may be one or two from which the party will choose. Current President, Bharrat Jagdeo, is not eligible to run in the 2011 elections. He is currently serving his second consecutive term and the Guyana constitution debars anyone from running for a third term if not amended.

What the PPP should do at its congress is to announce all the interested candidates according to its party rules, and let them go out across the length and breadth of Guyana and campaign. They can campaign on their plans and policies that they will implement should they be picked by the party. This would depend on their popularity among the voting population, especially the voting Indo-Guyanese who have always supported the party for its victories in the 1992, 1997, 2001 and 2006 elections.

The PPP must not pick its presidential candidate and impose him/her on the people. Any presidential candidate must win the support of the masses with his/her programmes and policies.

After the death of Dr Jagan in office in 1997 the party picked his wife, Janet Jagan, who was not given a ministerial post after the party victory in 1992 due to her health. Yet she was made the presidential candidate and went on to win the elections. However she was popular in the party and was with Dr Jagan from the beginning.

The surprise for the 2001 election was Bharrat Jagdeo, unknown up to 1992 after which he became a minister in the Ministry of Finance. He later replaced senior Finance Minister Asgar Ally after he was sacked by Dr Jagan. Bharrat Jagdeo was the party’s choice. He went on to win both the 2001 and 2006 elections.

This must not be the case for 2011 elections. The chosen candidate for the 2011 elections must justify his/her selection. This can be done by a popular campaign as happens in the United States of America.

Yours faithfully,
Baldeo Persaud