PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar has time and again invited the political parliamentary Opposition to discuss issues of national interest which, if not resolved, would have dire consequences for the entire nation, including Opposition supporters, and time and again he has been rebuffed on one nebulous claim or another.Even the rare times that the combined APNU/PNC/AFC deigned to accept the President’s invitation, always made in good faith, the combo has always approached the table with hard-line, maximum positions that are either designed to topple the Government; or at the least create a symbiotic position of opposition supremacy within a Government construct that would devolve into a toothless Government unable to move the country forward. Any intelligent and objective observer would discern that this is the real intent of the joint Opposition – both stated and perceived.

However, the President has refused to be railroaded by opposition threats and anti-democratic actions in and out of Parliament, even while he is prepared to be accommodating of all stakeholders in the national interest.

Guyana’s incumbent Head-of-State is the first Guyanese president to be challenged with a Parliament that has collective Opposition majority, and which has proven so far to be recalcitrant and power-crazy, showing scant regard for the national good.

President Ramotar has not lost his affable disposition and it is quite evident that nothing can shake his equanimity in the pursuit of, nor his commitment to, his development agenda.

Although he is aware that his constant reaching out to the Opposition is an exercise in futility, he nonetheless intermittently reiterates his position and conviction that dialogue in good faith with an Opposition would only redound to the national good. That the joint Opposition achieved a majority in Parliament, whether legitimately or otherwise, is moot and initially inconsequential to him as his intentions have always been to lead a government that was inclusive of all stakeholders because he was aware, as all PPP/C Presidents before him were, that this was the only way for this country to realise its optimum potential for development.

However, the joint Opposition has chosen to pursue a destructive path that would stymie national development because this would make the Donald Ramotar administration seem inefficient and ineffective; especially if there are delays to the start-up, or continuation of projects in the pipeline, or those already on stream.

But the PPP has prevailed over dark times before and emerged stronger in intent and commitment to steer the nation toward a more peaceful, prosperous and progressive Guyana than obtained prior to October of 1992.

While remaining resolute to engage all stakeholders in nation-building exercises, President Donald Ramotar is unambiguous in his positions that he would not allow the nation to be held hostage to a few unpatriotic opportunists.
This indecisive dithering by an uncooperative Opposition has forced President Ramotar to announce, earlier this week, that General and Regional Elections shall be held on Monday, 11th May, 2015.

The President, in an address to the nation, said he has been advised that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) would be in a state of readiness for these polls on that date.

In that address, the President recalled that when he prorogued Parliament on November 10, 2014, he had done so with the intention to preserve rather than end the life of the 10th Parliament.
“I was also attempting to avoid further political conflict and seek avenues of political accommodation between my government and the parliamentary Opposition parties. I had hoped that the period of prorogation would have allowed for extant tensions to ease and for all of the parliamentary parties to constructively engage the government. At all times I have acted in accordance with the Constitution of Guyana,” the President said.

He pointed out that, unfortunately, the opportunities that prorogation provided for continued dialogue and engagements with the parliamentary Opposition parties have not materialised.

“The parliamentary Opposition adopted an inflexible position that they will not engage with me until Parliament is reconvened. I had hoped that they would have reconsidered this unproductive posture and meet with me so that we can discuss our differences and find solutions to advance the development of Guyana,” the President said.

During this current period, President Ramotar said his government paid strict adherence to the Constitution in administering the welfare of our nation. Further there were regular interactions with national and international stakeholders to keep them abreast with developments and his efforts to reach some level of political consensus.

The President alluded to the fact that he had made it clear all along, that he remained open to dialogue with the Opposition parties. “It is a door that I did not nor do not intend to shut, now or ever. In light of the Opposition’s sustained refusal to engage my Government in the dialogue we anticipated and in light of the commitment I made to you, the people of Guyana, I now move towards general elections,” he told the Guyanese nation in his address.

“In the circumstances, I hereby announce that General and Regional Elections shall be held on Monday, 11th May, 2015,” the President declared.

The President, unambiguously, kept to his word. It is now up to the electorate to decide, come May 11.