THE Alliance for Change (AFC) over the weekend disclosed that it is prepared to hold talks with the Main Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), but on condition that these discussions remain confidential.“We don’t intend to negotiate an agreement within the public space, and therefore will not be commenting further on this matter until there is a substantive announcement to be made,” Party General Secretary, David Patterson said in a statement.

Patterson explained that during a recently held meeting, a non-disclosure agreement was tabled for review by APNU.

“The AFC tabled a non-disclosure agreement for the review and signing by the APNU, with the clear understanding that on the return of the signed document, the AFC would release to APNU our draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which would form the template for our negotiations,” Patterson said.
He said the AFC is prepared to issue its MOU to APNU within 24 hours, once the Main Opposition Party signs the non-disclosure agreement.
“Negotiations can start within 48 hours thereafter, which could be as early as Wednesday, January 7, 2015,” he said.
Patterson added that in the meantime, AFC continues to engage “serious-minded groups and individuals,” and is in the process of finalizing its campaign team and strategy.

APNU STILL TO DECIDE
Meanwhile, APNU General Secretary, Joseph Harmon, told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that the non-disclosure agreement has been with the coalition since last month, but a review of the proposed document has not yet been completed.
“We saw the document around Christmas-time, but we have not been able to study it as yet. Our structure requires consultation at the Shadow Cabinet level, as well as at the leadership level,” he said.
Harmon added that a decision to sign the non-disclosure agreement has not been made, since it requires particular commitments.
“Yes, there is a document on the table, but we cannot sign it just like that, because it is a commitment to certain things. We are careful in dealing with these matters. The consensus of the leadership is necessary before we make a commitment,” he said.
Asked about the possible issues that would form part the agenda for talks, Harmon disclosed that inclusionary democracy and the question of establishing a government of national unity after the elections are two such areas.
He however said that his Party will be dealing with the matter soon.
The AFC’s position, as articulated over the weekend, comes on the heels of statements made by APNU Leader, Brigadier (Rtd.) David Granger, in which he disclosed that there have been no substantial discussions with AFC to date.

FLIP-FLOPPING
On the question of a possible alliance, the AFC has been flip-flopping with its positions on the matter.
In mid-December, APNU confirmed the commencement of talks with the AFC in regard to a possible coalition, and disclosed that a proposal for the two parties to form a coalition to contest upcoming regional and general elections was still to be finalised.
Prior to this disclosure, AFC’s Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, in an invited comment, told the Guyana Chronicle, “We will be dealing with it shortly; I don’t want to make any further comments,” referring to the coalition proposal.
Against this backdrop, though, the same AFC leader, before Granger’s disclosure, had told the Guyana Times that “it is nothing of the sort,” which was taken to mean that the two parties had not yet discussed the matter or sought to engage each other in discussions.
In another twist to the plot, after Granger’s disclosure, Ramjattan, through a Facebook post in the group ‘Alliance For Change,’ had stressed that AFC, as a single party, poses more of a threat to the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) than if they were to form a coalition.
All considered, however, Harmon, yesterday, told the Guyana Chronicle that APNU is still open to having AFC join its coalition. “Our invitation is open, once partners subscribe to our statement of principles. The door is open…we have to keep in focus what we want for Guyana and what we need,” the APNU General Secretary said.
The uncertainty in position and the constant shifts in their declarations come at a time when President Donald Ramotar has announced that general elections are likely to be held in the first quarter of the upcoming year.
The last general and regional elections were held in November 2011 and APNU secured 26 seats in the National Assembly; the AFC secured seven seats while the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) secured the single largest bloc of votes earning itself 32 seats of the 65 seats in the House.