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This coming Tuesday could either prove to be a most promising, or disappointing day, for future government/opposition cooperation in the best interest of Guyana.
The occasion would be a scheduled tripartite meeting, to be hosted by President Donald Ramotar and involving parliamentary representatives of the governing PPP/C and the two opposition parties—APNU and the AFC.
The initial tripartite meeting took place on December 15 on the initiative of President Ramotar with heads of delegations being Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; APNU’s chairman David Granger and the AFC’s leader Raphael Trotman. As reported, there was an encouraging mood for future, structured dialogues and cooperation in the national interest.
However, the litany of political somersaults and bitterness to flow from the opposition, prior to and since the shocking misuse of a majority of one, to slash approximately GUY$20 Billion in identified expenditures from the 2012 budget, was to make a mockery of claims by opposition spokespersons, in and out of the National Assembly, about commitment to consultation and cooperation.
Not only did the APNU/AFC alliance misuse their one-seat majority in the 65-member National Assembly to capture both the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, contrary to established norms in multi-party democratic governance.
There were also to be examples of somersaults by the main opposition APNU. For instance, its deviation from an agreement reached with Prime Minister Hinds, and subsequently read in parliament, relating to proposed phased hikes in electricity rates for consumers in Linden.
That particular somersault was largely due to orchestrated pressures and verbal abuse from the minor AFC. This party has been engaging in some of the more bizarre allegations against government agencies and corporations, with its MP, the ex-PPP parliamentarian, Moses Nagamootoo, going as far as to claim having received a ‘death threat’.
Both opposition parties continue to engage in self-serving, footsy-politics over the government’s clearly stated position justifying implementation of phased hikes in electricity rates in Region 10.
The government has been emphasising the harsh reality that Guyanese in other regions of the country have long been paying much more for electricity consumed than their fellow citizens in Region 10 and that efforts would, nevertheless, continue to be made to minimise the resulting challenges for Lindeners.
We understand the politics being played by APNU in relation to Linden. But NO government, committed to democracy, the rule of law and fair play, could consciously pursue a policy that ignores the circumstances of the electricity rates differences that currently work in favour of Lindeners. Certainly not while the Guyana Power and Light Company has to also cope with a $1Billion decrease in subsidy at this critical period.
Now, APNU has announced that a motion was being drafted for presentation to parliament to reverse the proposed phased hike in electricity rates due to come into effect on July 1 for consumers in Region 10.
Much earlier, the AFC chairman and soon-to-become party leader Khemraj Ramjattan, was openly jeering as “collateral damage” those government workers who would lose their jobs as a result of the cuts made to the 2012 budget by the opposition .
For his part, the Speaker of Parliament and current leader of the AFC (Trotman), has been offering some conciliatory gestures while continuing to make rulings against the government that only further shatter hopes for reconciliation and cooperation.
In the circumstances, therefore, the Guyanese public can only hope that political maturity, the realities of the national electoral landscape and the urgent needs of the people for a better life will inform the discussion and decisions at Tuesday’s scheduled tripartite meeting at the Office of the President. It is a crucial event.
The occasion would be a scheduled tripartite meeting, to be hosted by President Donald Ramotar and involving parliamentary representatives of the governing PPP/C and the two opposition parties—APNU and the AFC.
The initial tripartite meeting took place on December 15 on the initiative of President Ramotar with heads of delegations being Prime Minister Samuel Hinds; APNU’s chairman David Granger and the AFC’s leader Raphael Trotman. As reported, there was an encouraging mood for future, structured dialogues and cooperation in the national interest.
However, the litany of political somersaults and bitterness to flow from the opposition, prior to and since the shocking misuse of a majority of one, to slash approximately GUY$20 Billion in identified expenditures from the 2012 budget, was to make a mockery of claims by opposition spokespersons, in and out of the National Assembly, about commitment to consultation and cooperation.
Not only did the APNU/AFC alliance misuse their one-seat majority in the 65-member National Assembly to capture both the positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, contrary to established norms in multi-party democratic governance.
There were also to be examples of somersaults by the main opposition APNU. For instance, its deviation from an agreement reached with Prime Minister Hinds, and subsequently read in parliament, relating to proposed phased hikes in electricity rates for consumers in Linden.
That particular somersault was largely due to orchestrated pressures and verbal abuse from the minor AFC. This party has been engaging in some of the more bizarre allegations against government agencies and corporations, with its MP, the ex-PPP parliamentarian, Moses Nagamootoo, going as far as to claim having received a ‘death threat’.
Both opposition parties continue to engage in self-serving, footsy-politics over the government’s clearly stated position justifying implementation of phased hikes in electricity rates in Region 10.
The government has been emphasising the harsh reality that Guyanese in other regions of the country have long been paying much more for electricity consumed than their fellow citizens in Region 10 and that efforts would, nevertheless, continue to be made to minimise the resulting challenges for Lindeners.
We understand the politics being played by APNU in relation to Linden. But NO government, committed to democracy, the rule of law and fair play, could consciously pursue a policy that ignores the circumstances of the electricity rates differences that currently work in favour of Lindeners. Certainly not while the Guyana Power and Light Company has to also cope with a $1Billion decrease in subsidy at this critical period.
Now, APNU has announced that a motion was being drafted for presentation to parliament to reverse the proposed phased hike in electricity rates due to come into effect on July 1 for consumers in Region 10.
Much earlier, the AFC chairman and soon-to-become party leader Khemraj Ramjattan, was openly jeering as “collateral damage” those government workers who would lose their jobs as a result of the cuts made to the 2012 budget by the opposition .
For his part, the Speaker of Parliament and current leader of the AFC (Trotman), has been offering some conciliatory gestures while continuing to make rulings against the government that only further shatter hopes for reconciliation and cooperation.
In the circumstances, therefore, the Guyanese public can only hope that political maturity, the realities of the national electoral landscape and the urgent needs of the people for a better life will inform the discussion and decisions at Tuesday’s scheduled tripartite meeting at the Office of the President. It is a crucial event.
