Over 3,000 people expected as PPP/C anticipates largest congress this weekend

The People’s Progressive Party will host its 32nd Congress between Friday and Sunday and the party’s General Secretary, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo said the gathering will be the party’s largest ever.

Jagdeo, speaking at a party press conference on Thursday, reminded reporters that the last congress was held years ago when the party was in opposition.

In government since 2020, the PPP/C GS highlighted that the party hopes to find ways of expanding membership, safeguarding democracy, guaranteeing territorial integrity and sovereignty and advancing plans to develop Guyana.

And he said over 3,000 delegates and observers are expected. The last congress had about 1,000 delegates and observers.

There will also be elections for the 35 members of the party’s central committee. There are 93 people contesting for those 35 spots; subsequently, the General Secretary and other secretaries will be chosen.

“It will be very competitive,” Jagdeo said.

Apart from addressing expectations at this weekend’s event, Jagdeo candidly spoke about the PPP’s intention to attract more Afro-Guyanese supporters and members.

Doing so, Jagdeo said, is crucial for the party.

“… in this era we intend to confront the issue frontally because we failed, from Cheddi Jagan to recently, to broaden the base of this party, largely because of the rumour mill and the lies that the PNC told to many communities.

“It was a whisper campaign that did enormous damage to the PPP falsely portraying that we are racist and only concerned about the development of one group of Guyanese,” Jagdeo told reporters.

He opined that the PPP has proven itself as the only political group interested in the development of all Guyanese.