PPP/C refutes claims AFC not included in budgetary talks with APNU

THE ruling Peoples Progressive Party/Civic has refuted claims by some sections of the society and the political arena that government had excluded the Alliance For Change (AFC) from its budgetary talks with A Partnership For National Unity (APNU). Responding to the question posed by the media on Friday at a press conference at Freedom House, Executive member Clement Rohee noted that it was far from the truth. He then proceeded to explain.
He said the PPP/C government has never closed its doors to talks with the opposition, and is always willing to engage in dialogue for the forward movement of the country.
Speaking directly to the AFC’s claim of being excluded from dialogue, Rohee said that party never requested to meet with the government to engage in talks. He reminded that it was APNU who, in the National Assembly, had requested to have dialogue with the government to air its concerns with regard to the 2012 budget.
Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh subsequently rose in the National Assembly to assure that the government welcomed the initiative and would facilitate APNU by way of dialogue.
Rohee told the media that the leader of APNU, retired Brigadier David Granger, subsequently called President Donald Ramotar as a follow-up to the request made in the National Assembly.
“In keeping with a long-held position by the PPP/C government and the ruling PPP/C that you are always open for talks… It is obvious that the President couldn’t shut the door on a request for talks by the Leader of the Opposition,” Rohee declared.
He opined that the talks between government and APNU were making progress in their initial stages, and added that, throughout those discussions, government was extending its hand to APNU, citing the agreement made on the electricity tariff for Lindeners as proof  in that regard.
However, Minister Rohee said, it is the ruling party’s conviction that talks reached a critical stage when the AFC joined. No longer able to reach consensus with the government, the two opposition parties entered the Committee of Supply in the National Assembly tyrannically waving the proverbial scissors.
The PPP/C believes that besides the AFC bringing its own pressure to bear on the situation, pressure from supporters saw APNU reneging on its word.
“We saw some positive signs at the beginning, when the government and APNU reached. Having agreed with the Office of the President on the negotiation (of) a formula for supply of electricity to Linden…the first bad faith move saw APNU  backing away from an understanding that was reached within the context of those negotiations,” Rohee added.
He believes that, despite convincing arguments and appropriate answers provided by the government side of the House, the parties went ahead with their proposed cuts since they were not allowed to bully the government during the talks.

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