THE Private Sector Commission (PSC) said it is “disappointed in the lack of interest exuded by our politicians” in the Commission’s proposal to dialogue in the interest of the nation.

The PSC, however, acknowledged that the announcement on Saturday last by President Donald Ramotar that elections will be held early in 2015, even though he has not specified a poll date, has removed some degree of uncertainty regarding the Prorogation of Parliament.

The PSC was established in 1992 and is aimed at creating a greater union among businesses and private sector organs. Finding itself under the microscope for its neutral positions on the prorogation of parliament, the PSC has come under close scrutiny by elements that have deemed its neutrality as being supportive of President Ramotar’s decision to prorogue the 10th Parliament to extend its life.
Only recently, the PSC in a public statement, called for an end to the November 10 Prorogation of Parliament, as well as the end to a No- Confidence Motion which was presented by the Alliance For Change (AFC) to Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs.
The motion, which would have received full support from the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), if passed would have seen the Government being forced to resign with a move to general elections three months from the date the motion was passed in the National Assembly.
“There is still room for the life of the 10th Parliament to be preserved once the prorogation comes to an end and the No-Confidence Motion is stayed to make room for a meaningful attempt to dialogue on the important issues that will persist even after elections are held,” according to PSC Chairman Ramesh Persaud.
With political gridlock existing between the Government and the Opposition, with the latter bluntly refusing to have dialogue, the commission in its statement said: “We are also disappointed in the lack of interest exuded by our politicians in our proposal to dialogue in the interest of the nation.”
The PSC’s statement further read: “The commitment by all political parties to prematurely end the life of the 10th Parliament by having early elections is not a positive move in achieving the inclusionary democracy envisioned in our Constitution.”
Proposals from the PSC were forwarded to President Donald Ramotar; the Alliance For Change Leader Khemraj Ramjattan; and the A Partnership for National Unity Leader, Brig. (Rt’d) David Granger.
The private sector umbrella body has cautioned political leaders that “elections are not the totality of democracy.” This they said as they urged leaders to engage each other “in a spirit of negotiation and compromise for the benefit of the people they serve.”