PPP not ‘trading’ positions in tapping former Army chief Phillips; PM post not decided

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo Thursday afternoon declared that accepting former Army Chief Mark Phillips into the ranks of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) did not come with a promise for him to be the PPP’s Prime Ministerial Candidate.

Jagdeo, speaking at a press conference, said that Brigadier Phillips has not been selected as Irfaan Ali’s running mate for the March 02 polls; he said nominations for the No.2 spot on the PPP’s slate will most likely be decided in November. He said too that it was likely that Phillips could be nominated.

Jagdeo, who serves as General Secretary of the PPP, said that the party was not in the business of trading positions. He said he knows of Phillips’ skills in matters of finance and security; he said too Phillips is a man of integrity and a patriot.

Jagdeo said he has met with Phillips to welcome him to the PPP’s team for the upcoming elections but made clear there were no promises of positions that came with the invitation to be on the PPP’s slate.

According to Jagdeo, Phillips said he also did not have any expectations of a position, rather he was interested in the PPP because he liked the party’s vision and programme for the country.

Brigadier Phillips began serving as the Army chief on September 20, 2013. He was appointed by then President Donald Ramotar.

Phillips is from Linden. He became a soldier in 1980.

Phillips graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom and held a number of positions in the Guyana Defence Force before becoming its chief.

He also headed Guyana’s delegation to the Inter-American Defence Board and was also the non-resident Military Attaché to Venezuela.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Management from the University of Guyana (1998), and a Master’s Degree in Public Sector Management from La Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra in the Dominican Republic (2000).

Phillips retired from the Army in October 2016.