Former Finance Minister Asgar Ally joins PPP/C campaign
THE first Finance Minister in the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, Mr. Asgar Ally returned home and joined its campaign trail, on Sunday evening, at Stewartville, West Coast Demerara.
He urged the tens of thousands of supporters gathered at the rally – shouting the popular clichÉ ‘forward ever, backward never’ and maintained that the PPP/C can lead Guyana to a better tomorrow. 
According to him, much has been done for Guyana under the leadership of President Bharrat Jagdeo, the result being the massive transformation seen across sectors.
Ally said the PPP/C is a powerful institution and a stronghold of democracy and Guyana is poised for greater things in the future.
He said the PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Mr. Donald Ramotar is well equipped to be Guyana’s leader.
“Anybody who can manage Freedom House can manage this country,” Ally declared.
He had founded his own Guyana Democratic Party (GDP) not long after he was asked, by then President Dr. Cheddi Jagan, to step down as Minister of Finance, in which post he was succeeded by Mr. Jagdeo.
In July 1996, the Guyana Labour Party (GLP) which was led by Dr Nanda Gopaul had formed an alliance with Ally’s UDP and in 1997, contested the December 15 elections.
The GDP which was a contestant for the first time, comprised members of the defunct Guyanese Action for Reform and Democracy (GUARD) and the Guyana Labour Party (GLP), with Ally as the Presidential Candidate of the GDP but the coalition fell apart subsequently.
The National Front Alliance (NFA) came into being on December 1, 2000 as a merger of the GDP, the National Democratic Movement (NDM), the National Republican Party (NRP) and the People’s United Party (PUP), but the GDP and PUP, later, withdrew from the grouping. (Vanessa Narine)
