GEORGETOWN, Guyana, July 10, CMC – President Donald Ramotar says he remains hopeful that the former speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, will return to the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

Ramkarran, a founding member of the party, resigned last month after a prolonged disagreement with the government’s handling of corruption.

Ramotar told reporters that he plans to make contact with Ramkarran who penned his one line letter of resignation to the President who is also the party’s general secretary.

The party has since issued an apology to the long serving member. And President Ramotar said the differences were not “fundamental”.

“Ralph has made an enormous contribution to our party, to the struggle in our country and I surely would like him to return to the party,” he added.

Ramkarran lost his presidential candidacy bid to Ramotar for the 2011 elections, leading to strained relations with the PPP’s leadership.

Ramkarran, who writes a column for the ruling party’s Weekend Mirror newspaper, has called on the president to deal with allegations of corruption in an article which, he suggested, heightened tension within the party.

Ramkarran, a lawyer for the past 40 years, was elected to parliament in 1997. He served two terms as speaker of the unicameral legislature, the National Assembly.

He has also been a member of the Guyana Elections Commission through four local and general elections in Guyana since 1973.