…appoints Philips as PM, Jagdeo as Vice President, Nandlall as AG and Teixeira as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance

DR IRFAAN ALI became the 9th President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on Sunday, ushering in a new era with a promise of bold action to lift the country out of its present economic state, and help unite its citizens, badly bruised during a divisive elections campaign.

Taking the oath at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Dr Ali became the youngest head-of-state of this 54-year-old independent country, fulfilling, at last, the full promise that youths are the leaders of today. Around him at the ceremony were cheering party leaders and family members, celebrating a turning point of history and looking eagerly for a new voice and vision to lead the country in a new century. Ali’s election and eventual swearing-in came after five months of a legal tug-of-war and political brinkmanship following the March 2, 2020 elections. The swearing-in ceremony took place around 16:30 hours not long after Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh made the declaration.

He took the Oath of Office in the presence of Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards. Also present were First Lady, Arya Ali; members of the diplomatic corps; Executive members of the PPP/C; family and well-wishers.

In his first remarks as President, Dr. Ali said that he is humbled by the opportunity to serve Guyana and assured that he would work daily in the best interest of the people. He said that there is only one future for Guyana and that is one in which all Guyanese are united and work towards the development of the country. He thanked Guyana’s international and regional partners for their fight to uphold democracy in Guyana even as he assured them that Guyana was better off because of their efforts. President Ali thanked, further, those who voted in favour of his party noting that they have elected a government which will serve all of Guyana, despite political affiliation.

Moment to reflect

“This is a moment for all of Guyana to reflect. This is a moment for us to charter a way forward that is built on unity; to charter a way forward in which the development and aspirations of all our people can be realised in a respectful manner moving Guyana forward,” he said to media operatives subsequently. “There is no need for fear, there is no need for distinction based on political persuasion; no need for distinction based on religious belief or ethnicity. This is a government for all of Guyana and that is how the government will operate.”

The President said that, later this week, an inauguration will be held during which the plans of the new PPP/C government will be addressed fully. Until then, he appointed four initial Cabinet Members. Those were PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate, Mark Phillips as Prime Minister; former President, Bharrat Jagdeo as Vice President; Anil Nandlall as Attorney General and former PPP/C Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance.

President Ali said that the four Cabinet Members would serve as a transition team and this transition will be facilitated through talks with former President David Granger. The team is headed by Vice President, Jagdeo. “This is a transition team and, very early in this week, you will see the full Cabinet in place and we will, as I said, be moving towards an inauguration function where I’ll detail in a more comprehensive way the path and the way forward.”

In the meantime, he called on accounting officers of the Government to ensure that government and state assets are protected for the PPP/C’s transition. Almost immediately, he said that he expects to meet with the heads of security and law enforcement in Guyana for a briefing on Guyana’s security status. Regarding the oil and gas sector, he said that Guyanese can look forward to management that is people-centered; an accountable government and the equal and transparent management of every sector.

Dr. Ali’s swearing-in as President of Guyana came following a declaration by the Elections Commission on Sunday which indicated that, based on the data of the National Recount, the PPP/C has won the elections. The Election Report shows 233, 336 votes for the party securing it 33 seats. Meanwhile the APNU+AFC gained 217, 920 votes and 31 seats and the joined list of parties – the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), The New Movement (TMN) and the A New and United Guyana (ANUG) — gained 5,214 votes collectively and one seat.

Dr. Ali, 40-years-old, is a Guyanese politician and a former housing minister of Guyana. He was selected as the presidential candidate for the PPP/C on January 19, 2019. Ali was born in Leonora West Coast Demerara (WCD) and has one son. He holds a doctorate in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of the West Indies (UWI).