–Cites critical factor of woman empowerment and representation
While People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Parliamentarian, Ganesh Mahipaul, was part of the list of persons under consideration to run as A Partnership For National Unity’s (APNU) Prime Ministerial Candidate, the politician said he is genuinely happy that the Alliance For Change’s (AFC) Juretha Fernandes got the part instead. Mahipaul told Guyana Standard that when he learnt her name was on the list, he supported her with blinders on.
During an interview this morning Mahipaul said, “I have known her since 2007 when we participated in student elections at UG…she is academically qualified. She is young, she is a woman, and I think that is a critical factor for women’s empowerment and representation…”
If the APNU is successful, Mahipaul said it would be a powerful symbol to have a woman in such a position. “We never had a woman prime minister, and the highest we ever had was Janet Jagan for a few mornings, but a born Guyanese woman ascending to high office would be monumental.”
For those who question the party’s choice, Mahipaul noted that they would be mistaken to think Fernandes is a proverbial walkover. Mahipaul said for years he has admired Fernandes’ passion for service and determination to stand up to bullies in and out of parliament.
If the PNC contested the elections alone, Mahipaul said he has no doubt his party would have entrusted him with the confidence to serve as the PM candidate. “But this is bigger than me …,” said the politician.
Regarding recent accusations by the Alliance For Change (AFC) that the APNU breached protocol by unilaterally selecting one of its party members for the post, Mahipaul said that nothing could be further from the truth. The parliamentarian said it was Fernandes, Sherod Duncan and Deonarine (Ricky) Ramsaroop who reached out to the APNU, noting their interest in a coalition.
During the initial stages of coalition negotiations between the APNU and the AFC, Mahipaul said the latter made a number of unfair demands, adding that it waited until “the boat went to the falls by their own actions”. In the interim, Mahipaul said critical decisions had to be made, and the APNU was not going to wait until the AFC took its merry time.
With Fernandes at the side of the Opposition Leader and APNU Presidential Candidate, Aubrey Norton, Mahipaul expressed confidence that such a ticket would redound to the success of the party at the upcoming polls.
