“We are ready for battle” – PPP/C

By Gomatie Gangadin

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Clement Rohee on Monday disclosed that the Party has been “oiling its machinery “for elections and is entering full elections mode.

This disclosure was made during the party’s weekly press conference at Freedom House. He noted that the party members are getting ready to venture out across the ten administrative regions in coming weeks as its election campaign takes shape. Rohee related that the PPP/C members have been meeting with citizens since before the Christmas season and they are encouraged by what has been achieved thus far.

Encouraged

 “The PPP/C is encouraged by the show of support it has been receiving from party members, supporters, well wishers from the wider community during several outreaches conducted by the party before the Christmas season. The PPP/C will soon recommence its countrywide programme with a series of bottom house meetings as well as community walkabouts. Party leaders will fan out into the coastal and hinterland regions in the coming weeks.   The party is well underway in its preparations for these elections. Already we have started to mobilize our volunteers and activate our elections machinery. We have never been afraid of elections”, Rohee stated.

He also disclosed that supporters have pledged their continued support to the Party and indicated that they remain committed to ensuring a victory for the Party whenever elections are called. “The mood of the people which we met was one of optimism.”

The General Secretary who also serves as the Minister of Home Affairs told media operatives that on the issue of the prorogation of Parliament, the citizens were informed and have indicated to the party that they support the decision which was taken by President Donald Ramotar.

Not threatened

Meanwhile, Rohee says that his party is not threatened in any way by the Alliance For Change (AFC) Party since the minority opposition party will lose tremendous support at the upcoming general elections. Rohee made the comments when he was asked why his party consistently attacks the AFC instead of A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) and whether the PPP/C feels threatened by the Khemraj Ramjattan-led group. Rohee however, noted that the party does not feel threatened since the AFC had peddled lies and misrepresented itself in the 2011 General Elections. As such, he added that the AFC’s voters in the 2011 Elections have indicated to the PPP/C members that this was a decision they have since regretted and will be giving the PPP/C their votes in the upcoming elections. He noted too that the party allows itself to be used and abused by the A Partnership for National Unity and the supporters have taken note of this.

He expressed confidence that the ruling party will regain its majority when Election Day comes.

This statement comes on the heels of the AFC trying to sell a partnership with the PNC/ APNU coalition to Berbicians at a public meeting held over the weekend. At the meeting, the Berbicians were told that Moses Nagamootoo who hails from Whim, Corentyne, Berbice will be the Presidential Candidate for the party. According to many, this seemed like a move aimed at garnering the support of the Berbice populace for the party at the upcoming elections. Nagamootoo had told the disappointedly small gathering that the ruling party’s support has fallen from 57 per cent in 1992, 53 percent in 1997, 48 per cent in 2011 and now only 35 per cent of the electorate wants them in power and if they wanted change then an AFC/ PNC/APNU coalition was necessary.