Cabinet discusses apparent rejection of poll results, protests
-says President Ramotar’s intention is to continue engagement with opposition political parties
THE post elections situation that was evolving in the streets, as protests, was among the first things discussed by Cabinet under the tenure of the new People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government. Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon said the street protests by supporters of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and others, were, apparently, based on the rejection of the results of the polls that led to Mr. Donald Ramotar becoming the President of Guyana.
He said the Cabinet meeting also dealt with the immediate intentions of the Administration and an observation that, so far, only the PPP/C and the Alliance for Change (AFC) had submitted the names of their Members of Parliament (MPs) to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
Luncheon said they met last Tuesday and as the Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS),he reported on some of the matters under discussion there, at what has become, over the years, his weekly post-Cabinet news conference at Office of the President, Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown.
According to Luncheon, President Ramotar, in disclosing his intentions to continue engagement with the opposition political parties updated members on the December 5 discussions with the APNU, AFC and The United Force (TUF) teams.
Luncheon said the President recognised the level and merits of continuity that was being secured with the appointment of his Ministers and noted the retention of himself, as Cabinet’s Principal Officer, and his advisers.
Furthermore, members were advised about the establishment of their sectoral schedule of responsibilities, that is, the areas and groups of matters to which ministers would be given responsibility and be accountable, he stated.
Luncheon said President Ramotar also intends to meet and implement campaign promises and urged Cabinet members to resume the normalcy of Government operations and prepare for the beginning of the new parliamentary term.