PPP sees need to strengthen, rebrand party

Following a Central Committee meeting yesterday, the opposition PPP says it recognised the need to strengthen the party both organisationally and ideologically even as it continues to insist that it won the May 11th general elections.

Yesterday, in the first meeting of the Central Committee since the May 11 General and Regional Elections, a release from the PPP said that the meeting reviewed developments since the elections and took the opportunity to thank the Guyanese people for the ”overwhelming support” it received at the polls.

President Donald Ramotar (centre) speaking at Freedom House.  At left is PPP Secretary Zulfikar Mustapha. At right is party official Ganga Persaud.
Former President Donald Ramotar (centre) speaking at a Freedom House press conference

It said that Central Committee remains convinced that based on feedback received from its Polling Agents and Statements of Poll received, it had won the majority of the votes in both national and regional elections. The Party’s Central Committee reiterated an earlier call made by the Party for the immediate resignation of Dr Steve Surujbally as Chairman of GECOM. The Party said it is also considering ways of improving its future representation at GECOM and signalled that protest actions are also planned at all GECOM offices throughout the country to demand a total recount of all votes cast and the resignation of Surujbally.

The PPP said it is presently compiling evidence to file an election petition with representation from local and international lawyers.

It added that Central Committee also deliberated on ways to bolster and rebrand the Party in order to be better positioned to “defend the masses against the undemocratic imposition of the APNU- AFC coalition” in the seat of Government.

The Central Committee said it also took note of the “false” statements made by President David Granger that the APNU+AFC is a multi-racial party which includes representation from all ethnicities.

To strengthen the party, the meeting also envisaged some changes at the Party, Parliamentary and GECOM levels.