THE Central Committee of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) met last Thursday to discuss the current political state of affairs, the rejection of the President’s invitation for dialogue after the prorogation of Parliament, and the prospects of an early return to the polls.

And the party’s General-Secretary, Clement Rohee, contends that while the sentiment on the ground, for the large part, is that there should be a move to early general elections, he noted that the Opposition Leader, Brigadier (rtd.) David Granger, faces a challenge as it relates to engaging President Donald Ramotar.
“It appears that there are some elements within the APNU (A Partnership for National Unity) who are bent on not having any dialogue, while there are some who are more disposed to having dialogue; and that I think is the challenge Mr. Granger has.
In proroguing Parliament last Monday, President Ramotar was also emphatic that the move to prorogation was intended to pave the way for greater dialogue among political parties, while keeping the 10th Parliament alive.
The effect of ending the first session of the 10th Parliament via prorogation is the termination of the business of the National Assembly.
As a result, the Alliance For Change (AFC) sponsored no-confidence motion was not considered. Also, APNU had, prior to Monday, signalled its intent to support the push through of the motion. Had it not been for the proclamation to prorogue Parliament, if the no-confidence motion was passed, Guyana would have been headed to general elections within three months.
However, Mr. Ramotar has made it clear that if these efforts prove futile, there will be a move to early general elections; the last general elections were held in November, 2011.
When asked about a return to the polls, Rohee stressed that the party is “as confident as confident can be” that when there is a move to general elections, the PPP will emerge easily with a majority, adding that the sentiment on the ground is that there should be a move to early elections, given the stance of the combined Opposition.
He added that coming out of engagements with the Guyanese people, the sentiment is that people regret not voting for the PPP at the last general and regional elections.
He said, “They go even further to say that, in their view, the PPP could not only be re-elected to office, but they are prepared to work hard in order for the Party to regain its majority in the National Assembly.
“…when you go into certain areas where we lost some votes and you speak to the people who had migrated over to the AFC, those people regret every moment they did what they did, and have reassured us that this time around they will vote for the PPP, because the AFC hasn’t brought them anything; they had promised sugar workers 20 percent increase, nothing of that sort has happened.”
According to Rohee, the PPP does not practice “punishment politics” and any development advanced, benefits all the Guyanese people.
“So as far as they are concerned, their best bet is to vote for the PPP…we don’t believe in punishment politics. When we do a project it doesn’t stop…people have seen the light. I can see clearly now…things are improving for us,” the PPP General-Secretary said.
Rohee told reporters yesterday that as it relates to the way forward, the Party will continue to advocate in favour of the legitimate concerns of all Guyanese, as it relates to raising pertinent concerns over the work of GECOM.
“GECOM must be reminded that the largest portion of Guyanese who voted in 2011 would have done so for the PPP; and it is the Party’s responsibility to those and all Guyanese to ensure that all obstacles are removed to facilitate free and fair elections,” he said.
The PPP General-Secretary stressed that GECOM must also be reminded that it was the PPP that paid “the highest price in the fight for free and fair elections” and for the establishment of an independent Elections Commission.
According to him, the Party will continue to voice its concerns over issues of national interest, in moving forward.
Among other issues raised by the PPP over the last months with GECOM are: international observers for elections (Joint International Technical Assessor (JITA), employment of a qualified and untainted IT Manager, proper monitoring of data entry into the National Register of Registrants database, critical registration issues, lobbying for more mobile registration units on the coast as well as in the hinterland regions, proper verification of new registrants, removal of dead and underage persons listed as well as employment of polling day staff.