IN light of the current political situation and moreso the recent rejection by the Leader of the Opposition, David Granger to engage in dialogue with President Donald Ramotar, some members of the Cabinet share the view that it was a wasted opportunity by the Opposition. 

These sentiments were expressed by Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and Minister of Public Works, Robeson Benn as the two appeared on the National Communications Network’s television programme, “Political Scope” last evening to discuss the country’s political situation and the way forward.
Minister Benn noted that with Granger’s rejection of the call for dialogue by President Ramotar, it would be safe to say that the prorogation failed in terms of the stated objective thus far.
“…The rejection itself of the opportunity for dialogue in a time when there should be a dispassionate, non-emotive reflection and review of the country’s situation and of the workings of the National Assembly and the Parliament, indicate clearly that there is no real interest in the work.”
Instead, Minister Benn said it is clearly an Opposition scheme to bring down the PPP/C Government.
Meanwhile Minister Manickchand said she believes that the prorogation of the 10th Parliament exposed the nation to what each political leader and their parties had to offer.

Missed opportunity
Minister Manickchand said in addition to all the legislation and the bills, another huge opportunity that was missed was paving a way for a better Guyana.
“Here is an opportunity where the people of Guyana have configured the Parliament differently, where they said we want this party in Government and that party is the majority, and the people were saying find a way to work, and so we missed a big opportunity of putting the nation and the people of Guyana first.”
She added that many politicians from the combined Opposition let the opportunity pass by having their eyes on one prize.
“The Opposition just have their eyes on [the] presidential seat and power in the Cabinet, and so they missed the opportunity that was presented to them, so that is a big opportunity they missed, of us working together because no country, and certainly our country Guyana can sustain growth and development and betterment for its people by going back to an election.”
She stressed the fact that an election which they have been calling for would not solve problems.
“If we come back next year and we get the same results, but we don’t expect to see the same results because we believe that having met with the people, people are fed up and [are] now wisened up to what the Opposition are and what they want.”
She added that the Cabinet and the Head of State strongly believe that they are going to see different results, “But if that doesn’t happen, suppose we don’t, and we see some kind of configuration, suppose people say we give you a chance and you didn’t work for us, we will give you another chance go back and work together, we cannot come back every year for an election.”
Under this kind of environment, Ministers Manickchand and Benn conceded that Guyana will not be able to sustain development it has accomplished over the years.
Meanwhile, even with the Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Luncheon’s announcement of the President’s intention to address the way forward on Saturday, both ministers agreed that the decision to preserve the life of the 10th Parliament was the best answer.
Minister Benn noted that this period should have been utilised for dialogue as it was intended.
Minister Manickchand noted that it was evident that the combined Opposition’s intention was to shut the parliament down by any means necessary. This move, she said, would have by all means removed from the administration, the opportunity to deal with a lot of important things that were current in the National Assembly at the time.
She added that a lot would not have been achieved if the Opposition were to kill this Parliament and remove the opportunity that was before it.
“…So he (the President) took the decision to provide the space in the National Assembly for the parliamentary political parties who represent larger Guyana to discuss issues, to dialogue, to do what politicians do best, compromise, to negotiate, find a way to move forward, navigate through this new thing that Guyana has experienced.”
Unfortunately, she added that the Government in office, being a minority in Parliament, it wasn’t going to be something easy.
Further, Minister Benn stated that in his view the 10th Parliament had become virtually a circus and a laughing stock regionally and in other places.
“The fact of the matter is we were not really advancing in the country’s interest, the business of the National Assembly and really working to continue the development of our country so, the prorogation allowed for the opportunity for dialogue.”
On November 10, the Head of State having been threatened with a no-confidence motion by the combined Opposition at the first sitting after the parliamentary recess, issued a proclamation to prorogue the 10th Parliament.
The proclamation is lawful as it is provided for by the constitution [and] was intended to stimulate dialogue on the way forward for Guyana.
The Head of State had written to the leader of the Opposition inviting him for talks; however that invitation has been formally rejected.
As such, the President is now left with two options: he can either dissolve Parliament and call general and regional elections within a 90-day period, or end the prorogation of Parliament.

(GINA)