A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) has established a seven member committee to negotiate with the Alliance For Change (AFC) in exploring the establishment of a pre-election coalition. 

Confirmation came through none-other than Leader of the combined Opposition Brigadier (rtd) David Granger who, following the announcement of an election date by President Donald Ramotar, yesterday, commented that while it was long overdue it is indeed welcomed.
The Opposition leader during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle, said the seven member team was set up yesterday by APNU and “we expect that the negotiations will be successful.”

COMMON AGENDA
According to Granger, he is confident that the people of Guyana has had enough of the current administration and as such it is now up to the Opposition to convince the electorate that “a combined Opposition with a pre-election agreement will form a Government of national unity which will turn away from the old winner-takes-all politics.”
The Opposition Leader told the Chronicle, “If we can form a pre-election coalition with the AFC, I am convinced that the majority of the population would support such a coalition.”
According to Granger, the Opposition is actively working towards establishing the pre-election coalition, “that is what we are working towards.”
Confident in its success, Granger said, “we feel that over the last three years of collaboration in the National Assembly, APNU and AFC have already arrived at a common agenda.”
The Opposition Leader reminded that on each occasion during the past three Budget debates “we (APNU/AFC) had a common agenda”.
He said it was as a result of this common agenda between the AFC and the APNU that the joint Opposition managed to disapprove a number of allocations. “In fact we approved more than we disapproved,” Granger declared.
According to Granger, the Opposition has already laid a foundation in place through collaboration over the years “and I am confident that we have a good platform on which to go forward.”

NO NITTY GRITTY
Asked for specifics as to the make-up of the proposed coalition, taking into account the fact that the Working Peoples’ Alliance (WPA) held the slot for the Prime Ministerial Candidate of APNU, Granger said that would be premature at this point in time.
“Right now we are focusing on creating a coalition that is going to give Guyana good governance…we have not gotten down to the ‘nitty gritty’ but right now the goal is to establish a Government of national unity,” said Granger.
The Opposition Leader told the Guyana Chronicle that there isn’t a big concern currently among the electorate over ‘names and labels’ but rather their quality of lives.
Granger also dismissed claims that the Opposition is currently cash strapped and said, “we are comfortable now.”
He did concede that with the elections date and inherent campaign activities, there will be a spike in expenditure.
“We have friends, and friends have started to come along and give us support,” said Granger.
The Opposition Leader did say that the announcement by the President of a May 11, 2015, General Election is welcomed.
According to Granger, the country has been eagerly awaiting the announcement given that since the Prorogation of Parliament, there has been a great deal of uncertainty which has also had an impact on business.
He said that with the announcement there is now some certainty and that people can now be more confident knowing that the process will come to an end shortly.

OUTREACHES
The Opposition Leader told the Chronicle that in the coming weeks, APNU will continue with its outreaches as had been the case recently where a team visited some 28 communities in Rupununi, Region Nine.
He did point out that there will have to be a Claims and Objections period held before any elections and as such, APNU would want to ensure that communities are properly registered.
“There is some electoral work in terms of registration, birth certificates, claims and objections and there is political work in terms of putting our programme out to the people…there is also coalition work,” said Granger.
On the matter of the coalition work, Granger reminded that APNU is already a partnership of a number of political parties “and we have committed ourselves to engaging with the AFC.”

(By Gary Eleazar)