PNC members have no experience to lead – Jagdeo

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo said his party has the best leadership experience to manage the seat of government as he questioned the ability of the opposition political parties’ ability given their stark lack of any managerial experiences.

Speaking during his weekly press conference on Thursday, Jagdeo singled out Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC), Aubrey Norton and three members Ganesh Mahipaul, Shurwayne Holder and Elson Lowe who are frequent faces of the party’s press conferences.

According to Jagdeo, Norton has only served as a junior functionary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while Mahipaul was a Community Development Officer in 2020 before entering the National Assembly as a Member of Parliament. Lowe, he said, was a research Assistant at the State Asset Recovery Agency (SARA) and Holder worked with a local businessman.

“These are the three people you will put your future policy making and your children’s future in their hands… You need some experience to tackle the complex task of Government,” the PPP General Secretary said.

He added that “we can’t take chances with people who have no basic management experience.”

Referring to the current PPP Government, Jagdeo pointed out that President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali served six years in Cabinet before the 2015 General and Regional Elections and then assumed the role of spokesperson on Finance in Opposition before elected to the Presidency.

Similarly, before his Presidency in 1999, Jagdeo also served as a Government Minister for five years and Opposition Leader from 2015 to 2020 before assuming his current role of Vice President.

He pointed to Ministers including Ashni Singh who served as Minister of Finance under the last PPP Government and returned to the post in 2020, Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall who has had years of experience in the law field before assuming the Attorney General role, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Oneidge Walrond who was a magistrate, Prime Minister Mark Phillips who headed the army, and others with managerial experience in the current Cabinet.

“I can go down the list of every cabinet member and you will see the list we have had. You can look at the other side,” Jagdeo said.

He also pointed out that the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) does not have members while the A New and United Guyana (ANUG) party also lacks experience.

“You cannot entrust the future of our country when there is complex undertaking now for the years ahead to the neophytes who will say anything,” the PPP General Secretary stated.

The next General and Regional Elections is set for 2025.