Former President Bharrat Jagdeo has disputed reports that there is internal fighting within the PPP and blasted criticisms by former executive Ralph Ramkarran that he is not keen on the party holding its congress soon.
He further charged that if popularity polls are held today it would reveal that neither of two past senior PPP executives, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Ramkarran, has the support from the populace.
“Frankly speaking, if it’s held tomorrow or next week I don’t care. It does not make a difference to me,” Jagdeo said at a press conference, held on Wednesday at PPP Headquarters, Freedom House.
Jagdeo, who is Leader of the Opposition, said that he could not say when the congress will be held as the decision is made by the party’s Central Committee.
A PPP congress is due this year, according to the party’s constitution, but sources told Stabroek News that the issue is not being discussed by the hierarchy of the party and it is very unlikely that it will come off this year. A major shakeup of the current executive is expected whenever the party’s congress is held.
“On the congress, I don’t know when. The congress is supposed to be held this year and it’s a central committee decision on when it’s held and the central committee has not met as yet. If it’s held tomorrow or next year I don’t care,” he asserted.
When asked if he was buying time given the delay, he added, “There is a logic to follow. If I’m not interested if it’s held tomorrow. How am I buying time? It is not my decision if it is held tomorrow, it’s not a big deal for me.”
Nearly a year after being ousted from office, sources close to the PPP say that a clash has erupted in its leadership, with Jagdeo at the centre of the maelstrom and the crucial party congress is likely to be deferred as officials tussle to consolidate their positions.
Ramkarran has said that it would be unprecedented for a PPP Congress to be postponed except if an issue of national importance gets in the way and believes that Jagdeo and General Secretary Clement Rohee may not be keen on it being held this year as they would have the most to lose.
The last PPP congress was held in Berbice in August, 2013.
Ramkarran wrote in his last Sunday Stabroek column that there is a crumbling of the party leadership, which was established immediately after the 2008 Congress and comprised Jagdeo, former Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon, former President Donald Ramotar, Rohee and current PPP/C parliamentary Chief Whip Gail Teixeira. Its main objective, apart from promoting the Ramotar presidential candidacy, was to ensure Jagdeo’s control over the party, he contended.
‘Real beings’
Jagdeo laced into Ramkarran and the Prime Minister, saying that their perspectives on the party do not matter and that the end result of the PPP’s congress and next elections will show who the popular persons are.
“Ralph Ramkarran is not the conscience of the PPP. In fact, I believe he is an opportunist. Because he did not get to run for presidency, he left [the PPP],” he said.
“He wants to pick who will be the next President but let me tell you something. We can’t make the mistake in the PPP of listening to fossils or else this party…the party has to keep renewing itself. I have spoken openly and asked …How come a party so strong in our support base still has become weak in its structures? Some of our groups don’t function etcetera? …We need more young people, more young women, that’s the future of the PPP. Ramkarran and the others come from a different era. They can’t be the future of the PPP. The future of the PPP is smart people, people with clear vision, more women, young women and more people of all races. Not these people that poke around the dust all the time digging up stuff,” he added.
PM Nagamootoo also came in for jabs.
“We have to look at what our supporters want. I notice they don’t poll anymore. Let them poll popularity on the ground, the same ones that talk about how popular they are and how good they are. Nagamootoo loves to talk about popularity. One of his henchmen, wrote to say when he passed Bath Settlement (in Berbice Region 6) that all the heavens opened up and frangipani petals keep falling down from the heavens on celestial beings and the children running in the streets all ecstatic screaming ‘Our Prime Minister passing in the streets with his chariot’ and the people were all enraptured,” Jagdeo related.
“Then he went to the GuyExpo (and) the people shun him. That was the reality. He walked around for ten minutes and then parked in a corner…that was how it was. That is the reality. Nobody (came) because that is the reality. Polling on the ground will expose the real beings,” he asserted.
‘Yet to decide’
And as he dismissed reports of infighting in the PPP, Jagdeo said that the public will see a united party heading into the 2020 General and Regional elections.
“The whole issue about the PPP and so-called internal problem, I believe that APNU and the coalition has taken such a hammering about their coalition and their partnership and there are some people who are interested in the media… to foment that there is something then they go to these disenchanted fossils—I don’t want to say anything better and I can’t find another word… barnacles—and try to make an issue where is not. The PPP will go to the elections united and strong and win it whenever that is held 2020 or earlier,” he said.
Questioned about his own ambitions for the 2020 presidency, Jagdeo, an already two-term president said, “2020? I am yet to decide on that. It’s a long time away.”
A court ruling by then Chief Justice Ian Chang in July last year appeared to clear the way for Jagdeo to seek a third term though the decision will likely be challenged in the courts.
Later, he would add “People don’t contest posts there (at congress), that is done at the Central Committee and when I decide I will be the first to let you know.”
