House Speaker Ralph Ramkarran is the early favourite to succeed President Bharrat Jagdeo when he demits office, according to the findings of an opinion poll conducted by the North American Caribbean Teachers Asso- ciation (NACTA) last week.
He is followed by former PPP/C minister Moses Nagamootoo, although PPP supporters feel that he will not get the party’s nod as the presidential candidate next election, and given that Ramkarran would be the best candidate to succeed President Jagdeo. Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud and PPP General Secretary Donald Ramotar were the other choices from the governing party.
In terms of popular support for the PPP presidential nomination, Ramkarran is way ahead of his potential rivals. He is also ahead of potential candidates for the presidency from opposing parties, leading Robert Corbin of the PNC/R by almost two to one and Raphael Trotman of the AFC by more than four to one. President Jagdeo cannot seek re-election in 2011 when his term of office ends.
NACTA is a New York-based polling and research group with no affiliation to any political party. Last week’s survey, coordinated by political scientist Vishnu Bisram, interviewed 890 people to determine popular support for a potential successor to Jagdeo within the PPP/C as well as support for potential presidential candidates from other parties.
According to the findings of the survey, Ramkarran and Nagamootoo are among the leading potential prospects within the PPP/C to succeed Jagdeo as president, earning strong favour among supporters of their party as well as from people of all races. Respondents say Naga-mootoo would make an excellent president but don’t feel he would get his party’s nomination because he has been bypassed for cabinet posts. Nagamootoo is well liked among grass roots and rank-and-file PPP Indian supporters, and he also has significant appeal among Africans and people of mixed race who back other parties and who view him as a fair-minded person who is flexible in working with leaders of other parties.
However, although Nagamootoo has strong political appeal nationally, people from across the political divide recognise that the PPP does not want Nagamootoo as its next presidential candidate. Many of his supporters indicate they prefer House Speaker Ralph Ramkarran to succeed Jagdeo when his term expires if their man does not get the nomination, thereby boosting Ramkarran’s poll numbers. In general, people feel Ramkarran’s long experience with the PPP and in parliament, his family background as well as his legal and other qualifications provide him with the requisite skills to be president.
Ramkarran enjoys strong support among the middle class, the business community and the educated professional classes. Also, many whose ethnic background is African or mixed race say they admire him for his integrity, decency, honesty, good character, independent mindedness and professionalism as Speaker of the National Assembly. They believe he would make an excellent president if given a chance.
Within the PPP, although Nagamootoo is not a competitor, Ramkarran faces stiff competition for the presidential nomination from Minister of Agriculture Robert Persaud and party General Secretary Donald Ramotar. They both enjoy support among a sizeable following of party, which feels both would make a good president, although many respondents express the view that Persaud is too young and needs more political experience to take on the presidential mantle at this time. Persaud should not be discounted as a potential presidential successor because poll numbers show him slightly ahead of Ramotar in popularity although trailing Ramkarran in terms of support both within the party as well as nationally.
With regard to presidential preference in the other ‘major’ political parties, Corbin is ahead of Winston Murray in the PNCR. Many PNCR supporters consider that Corbin should give way to younger leadership. In the AFC, Trotman is slightly ahead of Khemraj Ramjattan, but they both trail Ramkarran and Corbin in relation to popular support to become president.
The survey shows a small proportion of supporters who voted PPP/C in the last election indicating a preference for the AFC candidates because of dissatisfaction with the PPP/C’s handling of crime and economic issues.
It should be noted that the poll reveals that a fifth to a quarter of the population are undecided on who should succeed Jagdeo when he leaves office.
Many of them say that having experienced only the PNC and PPP in government since colonial times to now, a new party should be given a chance to govern Guyana. With the next election three years away, opinion and popular support could change by then.
Table showing % support for potential candidates for president to succeed Jagdeo
Potential Candidate Support Without Nagamootoo
Ralph Ramkarran 15 22
Moses Nagamootoo 14*
Robert Corbin 12
Robert Persaud 8 10
Winston Murray 9
Donald Ramotar 7 8
Raphael Trotman 5
Khemraj Ramjattan 4
Vincent Alexander 4
Others 2
Undecided/No Answer/
Don’t Know 20 24
The poll has a margin of error of 4%.
* Without Nagamootoo in the line up, support for other
PPP/C potential candidates and “Undecided” increases.
I believe that Moses will make a better President than Ralph. I was born and raised most of my adult life in the same village of Ralph Ramkarran (Bel-Air). Moses later moved there and I know him also quite well. My problem with Ralph is not his qualification and family background. He father was a stalwart politician, however I don’t feel the same about his son Ralph Ramkarran.
In the US we refer to a president as lame duck. One who is in his last term and cannot get nothing done in Washington. Quite frankly I feel Ralph will be a lame duck at the beginning of his presidency – that is if of course he becomes president. Moses on the other hand has the experience and qualification and most of all has the potential to be a unifier. He has a lot of charisma.
Guyana need a real change.
The society is longing for a change from the present state of affairs, especially, in relation to the sickening crime situation.
Any change in political leadership, that will move the society away from authoritarian tendencies in governance and bring about the neccessary reforms and process, to move the country foward in a democratic manner, both economically and politically in the interest of all members of the society, is long overdue and welcome.
I did not even read this article; the look of it alone drives shivers up my spine.
Guyana–is not going into recession ever again! Our next president will not be a one-sided man: he will not forsake justice, human rights, nor liberty for all Guyana.
It is time for some positive change for all Guyanese. This racial barrier has to be pulled down. We do not want to see this party talking about Indians alone, and the other about Blacks alone or other race in Guyana.
This needs to stop. I urge all Guyana to use their hearts, eyes, brains, and wisdom when voting.
I noticed someone mentioned donkey carts using the public roads, and I totally agreed with the individual. This must stop, how can the government allow donkey carts to travel on the main roads? The individual was being rational when he talked about in the case of accidents. Who is going to fix the damage done [seeing that donkey carts do not have insurance]? It’s not that we want to stamp out our traditional ways and/or methods of a livelihood, but these things should not be the cause of deadly accidents.
I do not want to see any mouthing up presidential candidates, these people need to really get busy and show more efforts in the well being of all Guyanese. I call on all the new presidential candidates to rebuild our justice system. Get the rest of the people off of the streets. Build other Universities or so in other regions of Guyana, educate our youths, and provide employment for them–and those who had not the chance to complete their education [due to poverty]. Raise the pension for the elderly, give Guyana what she deserves. Elevate our people, and their way of life.
-Bless
I cannot think of a better person than Ralph Ramkarran to lead Guyana out of its current state of apathy and corruption. I have known Ralph since the age of 16 when we both attended Queen’s College and on through Law School in England. He stayed in Guyana through all the tough years when people (including me) left Guyana for better opportunities. He has a fine legal mind and has shown great independent leadership in the Legislature as its Speaker. He may not be flashy but his even tempered, steady leadership is just what Guyana needs to heal the breach between the races.
I do not trust Vishnu Bisram’s polls. The predictability of polls in an arena where ethnic voting is solidified is no science.
Most experienced pollsters working with these conditions would use cross questions to filter away as much as possible the part racial and ethnic affiliation plays in peoples’ positions. Vishnu Bisram blatantly presents his findings as if this factor was negligible or non-existent.
I admire Mr Ramkarran for his independence, integrity and absolute calm.I doubt that he will be given a chance to lead a party that’s so undemocratic and infested with so many corrupt individuals. The PPP will put their machinery in high gear to deny Ralph the chance to lead.
My reason for saying this is because I recall the way Jagdeo was catapulted into leadership in the most arrogant and undemocratic fashion. Nine years later, we have an unprecedented crime rate and still trailing closely behind Haiti as the poorest country in this part of the world. In a real democracy, Jagdeo’s leadership will not have lasted one year.
Ralph Ramkarran will be an excellent President.
Those who want Moses for the country’s top post do not really know him. Right now he cannot do a better job than young President Jagdeo.
For whatever this poll is worth, I hope that the PNC leadership take note that as much as we love to slam the PPP, periodic change at the helm, is progressive and healthy.
Why should a single person want to remain in position for decades? I’ll always champion change once it is for the better, hopefully.
“Yasuman71″, like I said in my comment, I have known both Ralph all my life and Moses from the time he moved to Belair. I strongly believe that Ralph is too easy going !! To some extent passive.
“Alatchana” I respect your passion for Ralph, but I respectfully disagree with you. I mentioned I know him most of my adult life and still know him. I have nothing against him as a politician, but not President in Guyana’s state of crisis. Quite frankly, I believe his brother Bayney is much more aggressive than him.
justice4all: I totally agree on NOT trusting Vishnu Bisram’s polls. There are too many secrets surrounding the commissioning of his “so called polls”.
Freddie Kissoon has challenged Vishnu Bisram to provide evidence that NACTA exists. Bisram has dodged the questions, made many excuses and has yet to provide any supporting evidence to support the existence of NACTA.
A professional above board polling organization would not play these deceptive games. It is troubling that SN publishes any of Bisram’s “so called polls”.