Harmon picks Mahipaul for PNC/R General Secretary as he finalises slate
- Mahipaul calms fears of MPs being recalled for supporting Norton
Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon who is currently seeking election for leader of the People’s National Congress Reform – the leading party in the APNU+AFC coalition opposition – has selected Parliamentarian Ganesh Mahipaul to be the party’s General Secretary (GS) should he be elected to the top post.
Harmon, via his Facebook campaign page, has also posted the names and pictures of several other people on his team with his pick for Chairman being Parliamentarian Roysdale Forde and Vice Chairs being Parliamentarians Annette Ferguson and Christopher Jones.
Jones has since posted to his Facebook page denying that he has endorsed either Harmon or Aubrey Norton and asking that his name and image be removed from Harmon’s campaign flyers.
When contacted on Thursday, Harmon would only say that he was busy putting the “moving parts together” as the final day for nomination approaches.
“I’m in a meeting trying to streamline this nomination day for tomorrow and it’s to many moving parts right now.
“Tomorrow is nomination and so you know what happens before that, is everything that you have to coordinate from all ten regions,” Harmon told the News Room.
When contacted, subsequently, Mahipaul said he was happy that Harmon had reposed that level of confidence in him. He said his interest would be to work alongside Harmon to build a stronger PNC/R and assist him in unifying the party.
“I am also going to ensure that the party become a force to reckon with as we lay the foundation to ensure that we are re-elected at the next regional and general elections,” he added.
Mahipaul said he will be a GS for all comrades of the party. “No one can accuse me of throwing mud at any comrade.”
He said he holds onto the principle that the PNC/R is one big family.
Meanwhile, speaking on Harmon’s behalf, Mahipaul poured cold water on claims that there were MPs who had supported Norton and are now afraid of being recalled from Parliament.
“I can give you the fullest of assurance that Harmon will not do anything of the sort.
“He embraces democracy and supports people making their choice willingly. He is one of the greatest leaders I know of when comes to respecting and adoring the young cohort of MPs,” he said.
Both Harmon and Mahipaul were popular faces during the March 2020 general and regional elections and the subsequent one month national recount of votes where Guyana’s democracy was being hijacked by the APNU+AFC Coalition.
Speaking directly to the nominations Harmon has secured with just one day to go before submissions comes to a close, Mahipaul said it would be premature to speak on that issue.
“As long as you have one nomination, you are as eligible as any other person who was nominated to contest in the race,” he said.
Sources from within Aubrey Norton’s camp has already said that he (Norton) has secured most of the nominations from leader but Mahipaul said “nominations don’t win elections.”
It is felt that Harmon’s popularity is low within the party with most nominations going to Norton.
