Sharma announces retirement from active politics

Jaipaul Sharma, former APNU+AFC Minister and son of prominent political activist Chandranarine Sharma, has officially announced his departure from active politics, just five months after his party suffered a defeat at the polls.

On Tuesday evening, Sharma wrote on his Facebook page that: “As the Mantle of Leadership Passes, I humbly announced my retirement form active politics and writing this was not easy, even though I know it’s been coming for a while now.”

He said that “all good things come to an end,” and that his journey in politics was one filled with pride and happiness.

After the APNU+AFC won the 2015 elections, Sharma was appointed Minister within the Ministry of Finance, and in 2019, was moved to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, where he became a Minister within that Ministry.

Prior to his 2015 appointment, he served in the 10^th Parliament as one of the Members of Parliament for the then Opposition APNU.

In January of this year, Sharma resigned from the Justice for All Party (JFAP) – which was founded by his father – and joined the PNC; later revealing that he would not be accepting any ministerial post if the Coalition wins the March 02 elections.

The Coalition went on to lose those elections to the PPP.

And on Tuesday, the former Minister said that during his active years in politics, he was happy to have served the Guyanese people to the best of his ability.

“I have tried to serve our citizens diligently at all times, however, I was not always successful in getting the necessary assistance to resolve the complaints of everyone but I hope my responsiveness has weighed favorably against my failure in getting you a favourable outcome to your concerns,” he wrote.

The politician added that over the last seven years, the Guyanese people have been a source of kindness, resilience, and hope from which he has pulled strength.

As such, he thought it necessary to express his appreciation.

“I wanted to say one final thank you for the honor of serving as your Minister and Member of Parliament. Because all that I’ve learned in my time in office, I’ve learned from you. You made me a better person and a better leader,” he shared.

Sharma also seized the opportunity to encourage citizens to be “vigilant and watchful” of the new PPP government, and to ensure that while they are held accountable, democracy and transparency remains of paramount importance.

Sharma’s party is currently experiencing a major internal fallout with the exclusion of senior party members from the list of individuals that will represent the APNU+AFC coalition in the National Assembly.

Already, one of the coalition’s most prominent youth members, James Bond, has criticized the leadership of the PNC and has issued a warning to overhaul the leadership at the party’s 2021 Congress.