.jpg)
Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee has denied claims that there has been an erosion of the principles of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) which were implemented by founder of the party, the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan. The minister was at the time updating the media on the party’s upcoming 30th Congress during its weekly media briefing at Freedom House, yesterday, when the issue was raised by a reporter.
He stated that there are certain individuals who have been consciously plugging that line and asserted that: “You would never hear members of the PPP making such allegations, it is the detractors, the defectors, the people who have left us…there seems to be a concerted attempt by certain individuals who were once leaders of this party to influence the congress…we believe that as we get closer to the congress such attempts will intensify.”
Without giving any names away, Rohee said that there is a certain “prolific writer” who has been writing in a local newspaper, and who is “hammering away at the PPP to which he once belonged and the congress in particular.”
According to the minister, the objective of this person seems to be geared towards influencing the outcome of the congress and, further, influencing the delegates and the observers going to the congress to make decisions.
However, he stressed that it would be very difficult to convince a person who has a membership card and who is committed to certain ideas, principles and philosophies. He added that when certain individuals leave the party, they do not leave with supporters in numbers.
REINVENTING ITSELF
He further stated that the PPP of today will not necessarily be the PPP of 1950, the year when it was founded by Dr. Jagan.
Rohee said that the party is consciously reinventing itself, noting, for instance, that it now goes to elections as the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), which was just one of several steps it has taken to rejuvenate and renew itself.
He further stated that it is because the PPP has been able to do this, that it has been able to win each election over the years.
He reiterated that the PPP has never lost an election, but added that there are some people who may be anxiously waiting for it to do so. However, he stressed that as long as there is free and fair elections in Guyana, it is going to be very difficult to defeat the PPP.
Rohee emphasised that the PPP still remains united, and that is why it has maintained the policy of building unity, alluding to the theme of the party’s congress, “Strengthen the Party, Build Unity, Advance Democracy”.
“The party still remains united, the party hasn’t split in factions and we’re going to the congress as a united party and we’re very positive that when we come out of the congress we will come out even more united,” he asserted.
He stated that there are certain individuals who have been consciously plugging that line and asserted that: “You would never hear members of the PPP making such allegations, it is the detractors, the defectors, the people who have left us…there seems to be a concerted attempt by certain individuals who were once leaders of this party to influence the congress…we believe that as we get closer to the congress such attempts will intensify.”
Without giving any names away, Rohee said that there is a certain “prolific writer” who has been writing in a local newspaper, and who is “hammering away at the PPP to which he once belonged and the congress in particular.”
According to the minister, the objective of this person seems to be geared towards influencing the outcome of the congress and, further, influencing the delegates and the observers going to the congress to make decisions.
However, he stressed that it would be very difficult to convince a person who has a membership card and who is committed to certain ideas, principles and philosophies. He added that when certain individuals leave the party, they do not leave with supporters in numbers.
REINVENTING ITSELF
He further stated that the PPP of today will not necessarily be the PPP of 1950, the year when it was founded by Dr. Jagan.
Rohee said that the party is consciously reinventing itself, noting, for instance, that it now goes to elections as the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), which was just one of several steps it has taken to rejuvenate and renew itself.
He further stated that it is because the PPP has been able to do this, that it has been able to win each election over the years.
He reiterated that the PPP has never lost an election, but added that there are some people who may be anxiously waiting for it to do so. However, he stressed that as long as there is free and fair elections in Guyana, it is going to be very difficult to defeat the PPP.
Rohee emphasised that the PPP still remains united, and that is why it has maintained the policy of building unity, alluding to the theme of the party’s congress, “Strengthen the Party, Build Unity, Advance Democracy”.
“The party still remains united, the party hasn’t split in factions and we’re going to the congress as a united party and we’re very positive that when we come out of the congress we will come out even more united,” he asserted.
