Georgetown: The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) said it is moving to establish a broad national democratic front, ahead of the next General Elections.
The outcome of the 2011 General and Regional Elections had left the ruling party with a slim one-seat minority Government for the first time.
The PPP/C garnered 32 seats in the National Assembly while its opponents, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) collectively acquired 33 seats.
PPP’s General Secretary Clement Rohee disclosed that the Party is on a path of establishing a broad national democratic front.
Though declining to reveal greater details, Rohee said PPP/C is “heartened” by the overwhelming interest shown by “a large number” of civic and political stakeholders in the establishment of such an alliance.
Of recent, the ruling party has had several discussions with stakeholders and interest groups on the country’s political climate. Those present were assured that Guyanese will benefit significantly from higher levels of transparency and accountability through shared governance.
“The party is satisfied that its ideology, political principles and track record have managed to attract so many stakeholders who are interested in this national democratic platform to build and further develop Guyana,” Rohee told reporters.
Contrary to some reports, he said “more and more stakeholders” are condemning the actions by the Opposition to stymie development and cripple country’s progress.
“The party’s engagement in a wide range of stakeholders has revealed that resentment is growing increasingly as a result of the Opposition’s misuse of parliamentary power and the abuse of their one seat majority,” he added.
The APNU led by David Granger had endorsed the notion of shared governance but said there were genuine concerns.
Rohee said it is the Opposition that is doing all in its power to create strife and diminish the hopes of having shared governance.
“The party is reminded of APNU’s dishonesty following a series of engagements with the Government in an out of Parliament.
“How could the APNU and the PNCR [People’s National Congress Reform] who are consistently at work with the AFC to divide our country by voting against budgetary allocations for the Office of the President, Amerindian development, UG students and other critical sectors, claim to be in the same breath in support of national unity and shared governance?” questioned Rohee.
But despite his many criticisms of the Opposition, the PPP/C General Secretary said APNU, and by extension the AFC, should join the national conversation on the formation of a broad national democratic front.
However, he said the Opposition parties should be reminded that shared governance could only be realised if there are serious thoughts and actions directed toward building trust.
“Formulation of a common platform on social (and) economic issues and the rebirth of commitment on the part of the Opposition towards fast-tracking the development of Guyana are for the benefit of all Guyanese,” he said.
Realities
Rohee noted that the party maintains the view that any proposal for shared governance has to be based on the social, political and cultural realities in Guyana and not be used to score cheap political points.
Shared governance has been a long debated subject in Guyana’s political realm dating back to1957 when the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) under the leadership of the late Dr Cheddi Jagan attempted to form a broad united front to contest the General Elections; a move which would have seen a government of national unity.
At the time, Forbes Burnham had rejected the notion of “shared governance”. But approximately 54 years after, APNU has reintroduced the concept, calling for a government of national unity.
APNU is a coalition which is dominated by the People’s National Congress (PNC), a party formed following the 1957 General Elections by Burnham.
Since then, APNU has come in for severe criticism, not because it championed the cause for “shared governance” months ahead of the 2011 General and Regional Elections, but because it has instead failed to advance the notion.
Back in 2011, the coalition comprising the PNCR, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), Guyana Action Party (GAP) and National Front Alliance (NFA) had said that constitutional and institutional reforms were necessary for the realisation of shared governance.
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