AFC /APNU joint statement on the President’s Proroguing of Parliament

Georgetown : A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) met on the Tuesday the 11th November 2014 to discuss the prorogation of the National Assembly, the position of the joint opposition on  prorogation  and the position of the joint opposition on the President’s reasons for issuing the prorogation.

The APNU and the AFC jointly condemn and denounce  in the strongest possible terms  the prorogation of the 10th Parliament of the Republic of Guyana.

The National Assembly is the highest and principal  forum in which the people’s business is   discussed. The President has unilaterally shut this down and has by his actions extinguished any prospect of discussions with the  opposition on the country’s business.

The spurious excuse that the country requires a cooling down period when the issues which the President would like to have discussed were in the public domain for the past three months without any intervention by and or invitation from the President to the joint opposition reveals the real lack of sincerity of the President’s actions.

The Joint Opposition have resolved that there will be no extra parliamentary engagement with the President on the matters which were before the National Assembly.

The Joint Opposition have further resolved that they will embark upon a series of measures dedicated to restoration of the National Assembly as the most appropriate venue for the discussion and consideration of affairs of the state and its people.

The joint opposition wishes to advise the general public that during the period of prorogation only expenditures permitted during a period of dissolution will be accepted.

The APNU and AFC will  alert the  international community, foreign missions and international and domestic business community that any contract, other than contracts for the supply of essential goods and services,  entered into by the current administration during the period of peroration will be subject to review and possible rescission upon the election of a new administration.

 

We urge all Guyanese to support the call for restoration of the premier democratic institution and voice of the people, the National assembly.