Rohee disregards talk about presidential candidacy

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary (GS) Clement Rohee on Tuesday disregarded talks that he and Junior Finance Minister, Bishop Juan Edghill are listed to become the party’s Presidential and Prime Ministerial candidates respectively.

Talks by analysts indicate that the party might be following the trend where its General Secretaries become the Presidential candidates.

In their analysis, they cited former President, the late Janet Jagan and current Head of State President Donald Romotar who had both served in that capacity before taking up the leadership post of President.

But Rohee, at his weekly press briefing on Tuesday, disregarded such talks, reiterating that the Executive Committee is still in consultation on the issue. He again related that the Committee will have to give confirmation on the two posts after which an announcement will be made.

“So there’s no need to rush to a Prime Ministerial candidacy when you have not yet confirmed the Presidential candidacy of the party. When we reach that bridge, we will cross it”, Rohee told Guyana Times International.

When pressed by this publication to reveal what his interest is, if any, in the Presidential candidacy, Rohee responded, “I will wait and see, I am a member of the Executive Committee of the party and all those issues would come up for discussion at the appropriate time. We settle on the total package so that when we make an announcement on one, we don’t have to wait on the other… you will hear the total package in due course, the GS said.

The issue of deciding on a Prime Ministerial and Presidential candidate does not reside only in the PPP/C’s chamber. He reminded of the internal ramblings within the APNU, which still has to work out its alliance talks with the AFC on the possible Presidential candidate.

Only last week, the GS had told reporters that the revelation of the name of the Prime Ministerial candidate for the party was not a constitutional mandate and is not even a top priority at this time.

In fact, having a running mate for the President for the upcoming General and Regional Elections is nowhere in the party’s constitution.

When questioned on the name of the possible Prime Ministerial candidate, it was hinted that Junior Finance Minister Juan Edghill would take up the post, after serving Prime Minister Samuel Hinds indicated that he will not be seeking another term in office.

Prime Minister Hinds holds the record as the longest serving Prime Minister within the Caribbean. Rohee had indicated previously that the party’s long established principle is that the Prime Ministerial candidate would be of African descent.