People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary,Bharrat Jagdeo,has opened a welcoming arm to disgruntled supporters, saying that their support is critical if the party is to return to power in the 2020 elections.

Jagdeo, who is also Opposition Leader, made the overtures on Sunday at the annual wreath laying ceremony at Babu Jaan, in honour of the late Dr Cheddi Jagan, a founding member of the PPP.

Addressing the gathering estimated at around 1200, the former President said all are welcome in the PPP.
“We have to be welcoming; a lot of people who left and went to the AFC
are all disillusioned and are coming back,” he said,as former Alliance For Change (AFC) Executive, Dr. Veerasammy Ramayah looked on, much to the amusement of the crowd.

Some sections of the media have reported that Dr Ramayah has joined forces with the PPP, but he told Guyana Chronicle that he is independent and will remain “critical of whoever is wrong, be it the Government or the PPP”.

But in the same breath, he indicated that if the policies of the Government do not reflect the interests of the people, he would be inclined to join the PPP since “they have been supportive of the sugar and rice industries which most Berbicians
depend on”.

Only a few days ago, GECOM Chairman, Dr Steve Surujbally resigned from the post after being at the helm for 15 years. His resignation came amid a stalemate between the PPP and the Government to select a ‘fit and proper’ person for the top GECOM post.

STREET PROTESTS
Jagdeo also told the gathering that if President David Granger unilaterally selects a person of his choice, the PPP will take to the streets and the court.
“We in the PPP will not take that sitting, we will have to hit the streets and make sure this does not happen because we will never be able to have a fair and free elections if they install one of their people,” he said.

The Head of State, on several occasions, explained that his only interest is ensuring that the person appointed to the post of Chairman meets the requirements as outlined in the Constitution of Guyana.
“This position, which has remained unchanged, is a matter of public record..” the President has insisted. Back in mid-January on the Ministry’s television programme, The Public Interest, the President had said that, “I don’t have a candidate in mind. I have a qualification in mind. I want someone who satisfies the Constitutional requirement.”

CONSTITUTION CLEAR
He further stated however that, “The Constitution is clear that once the Leader of the Opposition fails to submit a list of persons, who are not unacceptable, I will have to make a choice but I will choose someone who is acceptable to both sides and who the general public is satisfied with.”
The Opposition Leader also criticised the Government’s handling of the economy and sugar, saying that social and economic feasibility studies should be done on the latter before decisions are made to close sugar estates.

“Sugar is not a company, it is an industry and no viable decision can
be made without being guided by those studies, so this is a political
decision, it’s plain and simple,” Jagdeo contended.
Former President,Donald Ramotar, who also spoke on sugar, said he feels
the industry can be saved.
Government last week assured that the welfare of the workers and their families is of primary concern.

“The other economic concerns and so on will of course be dealt with but the workers’ interest is at the forefront of whatever policy we’re going to embrace with respect to the sugar industry,” Harmon told reporters at a post-Cabinet media briefing on Thursday.
He said too that the coalition government is expected to present a White Paper in the National Assembly soon, as it relates to the future of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

The issue was discussed extensively at the ministerial conference held on February 28, at State House, when Minister of Agriculture, Noel Holder, made his presentation. The conclusion of consultations between government, the unions and the opposition on GuySuCo’s future, along with the options advanced by the government and the proposal made by the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU) will form the basis of the White Paper.

Meanwhile, several other executive members of the party who addressed the annual pilgrimage focused their presentations on the life and work of the late Dr Jagan.
This year marked 20 years since his passing.