Opposition coalition courting Ralph Ramkarran

Last Updated on Friday, 27 March 2015, 20:14 by GxMedia

Former long-serving member of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Ralph Ramkarran is being courted to endorse A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).

Co-Campaign Manager, Raphael Trotman told Demerara Waves Online News at a news conference that informal talks have been held with Ramkarran, a former Speaker for the incumbent PPP until 2011 when that party lost its majority control of the 65-seat law-making body.

“Someone with the stature of Mr. Ramkarran could be part of the (Unity) Train and we see him adding much more potency than just being the Representative of the List,” said Trotman. He expected that the Senior Counsel would soon say whether he would be endorsing APNU +AFC.

Some observers believe that if Ramkarran joins or endorses the coalition in the last few weeks ahead of the May 11, 2015 general elections, it could mark the tipping point for the coalition’s victory.

Trotman stressed that the former PPP Executive Member has not been formally approached but conversations have been held with him in recent times.  According to the Cummingsburg Accord between the two parties, they would agree to a Representative of the List that would not be drawn fro either party.

Trotman said the Representative of the List would be drawn from three persons who are from civil society and the legal fraternity.  

He further announced that APNU and AFC are in the process of merging their manifestos into one for launching around mid-April- that’s just about one week after Nomination Day (April 7).