GOING into the coalition negotiation with the five-party A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), the Alliance for Change (AFC) controlled 21 per cent of the Combined Opposition seats in Parliament, but came out with a guarantee of 40 per cent of the Cabinet, and at least 12 Parliamentary seats, should they succeed at the May 11, 2015 General and Regional Polls. 

Analysts have since concluded that the Minority Opposition Party has trumped the larger five-party APNU, which held 79 per cent of the Opposition seating arrangement in the House going into the negotiation.
APNU consists of the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR); the Working Peoples’ Alliance (WPA); the National Front Alliance (NFA); the Guyana Action Party (GPA); and the Justice for All Party (JFAP) coming together to control a total of 26 seats, while the AFC controlled seven in the 10th Parliament.
The AFC has also secured, through the negotiations, the post of Prime Ministerial Candidate for its front-runner, Moses Nagamootoo, along with two Vice-Presidential posts.

WELCOMED OUTCOMES
AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan, during the announcement of the coalition over the weekend at the Georgetown Club, welcomed the outcome.
Ramjattan was asked to relay what message he intends to sell his supporters, since going into the talks, he was adamant that the Party would have to lead any Pro-Democracy Alliance established.
The AFC leader told the news conference, “In view of the fact that there has been a tremendous climb as to the powers of the Prime Minister, we feel that it was an acceptable proposal.”
Explaining the negotiating tactic, Ramjattan, a practicing Attorney-at-Law said, “I start with very high standards in relation to bargaining.”
Opposition Leader, Brigadier (rtd) David Granger, was also asked to weigh in on the negotiating process, since admitting that both sides had to compromise on some of their demands, but he declined to comment.
Instead, the coalition’s Presidential Candidate told reporters, “I don’t want to go through the whole process of the negotiations; I don’t think it would be helpful.”
According to the Opposition Leader, “Both sides went to the bargaining table with certain expectations, and I don’t believe there is any virtue in raking over the coals now, to see who won and who lost.”
Under the proposed Combined Opposition’s ‘Cummingsburg Accord’, a successful Granger will have to turn over a number of new powers to the AFC-nominated Prime Ministerial Candidate, Nagamootoo.
These would include: Chairing the Council of Ministers (Cabinet); domestic national affairs (Home Affairs); recommending ministerial appointments and providing organizational structure for the ministries; as well as appointing of heads of agencies and non-constitutional commissions.

OUTSIDE THE CONSTITUTION
Granger was asked to elucidate on just how the coalition plans to effect the changes, since the new powers for Nagamootoo as Prime Minister were not catered for under the Constitution.
According to Brigadier (rtd) Granger, these new powers will be delegated.
The AFC, he reminded his audience, is already guaranteed certain positions in the Cabinet, should the coalition succeed; and as far as chairing the Cabinet, a function constitutionally eschewed on the President, Granger said the President will still hold the prerogative to chair the meetings, but under the agreement, the powers will be Nagamootoo’s.
Under the ‘Cummingsburg Accord’, the AFC will be given the two Vice-Presidential posts; and according to Granger, this is catered for under the Constitution, and has been utilized under the administrations of both the PNC and PPP Governments.
The use of the post of Vice-President, according to Granger, “is to reinforce that principle of representation.”
Contesting the 2011 General and Regional Elections, the WPA, under the umbrella of APNU, had campaigned for the post of Prime Ministerial Candidate with Dr Rupert Roopnarine.

WPA OUT
The WPA Leader was not present for the weekend news conference, but was represented by political activist, Tacuma Ogunseye, who told media operatives that WPA’s not holding the post of Prime Ministerial Candidate for the 2015 elections came through compromise.
“We are satisfied that we made the necessary compromise… The WPA is not too over concerned with the fortunes of the Party; we are concerned with the fortunes of the country,” said Ogunseye on the WPA’s ceding the post of Prime Ministerial Candidate to the AFC.
Under the ‘Cummingsburg Accord’, the AFC and APNU, two arch-rivals at the 2011 General and Regional Elections, would be contesting the 2015 polls, fielding a single list of candidates. The announcement on Saturday last came ahead of any specifics, such as Party name, symbol, and regional arrangements, among other issues.
The APNU/AFC merger would field Granger as its Presidential Candidate, whilst Nagamootoo would be fielded as the Prime Ministerial Candidate.

NEW REGIME
The merger of the two political forces has also promised to usher in an entirely new regime of Government, should it succeed in gaining office.
As announced by Granger, “In the construct of a new Government, the APNU would be allocated one Vice-President, and the AFC two Vice-Presidents, (all) of whom would be members of the Cabinet.”
The coalition also proposes to reorganise the role of the President. According to Granger, the President would hold the portfolio of Head of State, and would be Head of Government and Commander-in-Chief, having responsibility for the appointment of constitutional agencies and commissions. Foreign Affairs, International Relations, National Security Policy, the Defence Board, the Joint Intelligence Committee and other such organizations would also fall under the direct stewardship of the President.
The two parties are currently still engaged in meetings to iron out all of the activities associated with preparing a single list and a joint campaign launch.
The APNU negotiating team included Carl Greenidge, Dr George Norton, Joseph Harmon, Basil Williams, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, Sidney Allicock and Keith Scott; while the AFC team included David Patterson, Dominique Gaskin, and Rajendra Bissessar.

Photos by Adrian Narine