Jagdeo is influential in the PPP – Rohee
Former President Bharrat Jagdeo is still influential within the ruling People’s Progressive Party.
Former President, Bharrat Jagdeo
As he hosted the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) weekly press conference on Monday, the Party’s General Secretary, Clement Rohee confirmed this.
Rohee was also asked to confirm statements to the effect that the PPP is divided into two groups – “Jagdeoites” and “Jaganites” meaning that some Party members hold on to teachings of PPP founder and former President of Guyana, the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan, while some have adopted the policies and tactics of Jagdeo.
The General Secretary responded saying that such an opinion is “unscientific” and that only people who don’t understand the PPP would make such utterances.
However, when confronted with the fact that it was said by a former long-serving member of the PPP, Rohee chose not to give further responses.
He further stressed that there is no division in the PPP.
But when questioned about the influence of Jagdeo on the Party’s decision-making organs, Rohee responded, “He is influential….He is influential”
The PPP Central Committee is made up of 35 members who were elected through congress. There are also five others referred to as candidate members, those are usually first timers and are not voted in.
One month after congress, the Central committee meets and elects a 15-member executive committee. It also appoints the General Secretary of the Party who is essentially the Party’s leader.
The executive committee is the body that more or less runs the Party’s affairs. That body meets once a week while the
PPP General Secretary, Clement Rohee
central committee meets once every three months which amounts to four times a year.
Meanwhile, in an invited comment, former executive member of the PPP Moses Nagamootoo said, that Jagdeo has for a long time has had a hold on many PPP members.
He said that Jagdeo appointed most of the Ministers and in his opinion, has had a negative influence on them.
Nagamootoo said that Rohee, who is supposed to be a real decision-maker in the PPP based on his appointment as General Secretary, is not as independent as he should be.
The long time politician said that Jagdeo controls a gang of eight in the executive committee and “whoever controls the eight controls the Party.”
It was Nagamootoo who spoke about the Jagan/ Jagdeo division in the Party.
He said that had it been up to the late founder of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr. Cheddi Jagan, then the likes of Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, would have been reined in over the recent revelations made public in the now infamous audio recording between himself and a Kaieteur News journalist.
He said that the party is no longer controlled by those loyal to Dr. Jagan’s teachings, but by individuals who now hold to the policies and tactics of the Former President Bharrat Jagdeo. Nagamootoo labeled them Jagdeoites as against Jaganites.
The emails that were exchanged between Jagdeo, Nandlall and Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) boss Khurshid Sattaur which revealed a plot to destroy Kaieteur News, suggested strongly that Jagdeo is still very influential at the highest levels.
