MEMBERS of the APNU+AFC coalition government are to participate in a “high-level summit” to assess its first year in office.
Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Raphael Trotman told reporters on Wednesday at a post-Cabinet press briefing that some of the concerns of the AFC component of the administration were raised and discussed at the level of Cabinet, but Cabinet is not necessarily best suited to address those issues.
Speaking specifically to the calls made by the AFC, for the responsibilities of the Minister of State Joseph Harmon to be trimmed, Trotman said President David Granger has encouraged the Prime Minister and the leader of the AFC Khemraj Ramjattan to speak to the issue.
“They gave their opinions, their views and they were not hindered in any way,” he stated.
In a statement to the media on April 10, the AFC said it has reviewed its role as part of the coalition government and among the matters discussed at its retreat was the issue of the appointment of Brian Tiwarie as Ministerial Advisor on Business Development by Harmon.
“The Alliance For Change is of the opinion that the current difficulties which the government has encountered in the continuing revelations arising out of the appointment of the Advisor on Business Development and the issues surrounding this, have their roots in the concentration of the powers of the office of the Cabinet Secretary, the Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency and the effective Head of the Presidential Secretariat in a single person,” the statement said.
It was noted that the responsibilities of each of the posts mentioned are of major importance to the smooth operation of the government and “would benefit from separate appointments.”
“The Alliance For Change has mandated its leadership in Cabinet to have these issues raised and addressed as a matter of national importance,” the statement said, but notwithstanding,[sic] the minister was however quick to point out that the views of either faction of the party cannot be settled at Cabinet.
“Cabinet is a governmental institution, the APNU+AFC [administration] have to meet at some high-level summit and work through those matters.”
“I dare say that at some time as we approach the first year in government, there will be such a gathering where we can look at the triumphs and the hills and valleys and the lows and highs of the coalition government and the relationship between the parties,” Trotman added.
He said while Cabinet can note the concerns of either side, it is not a place where those matters can be settled. No date has been set for the retreat-like meeting, but Trotman said, “We know for sure the elections were the 11th May and the government was sworn in on the 16th May… we know therefore that it has to be within the next few weeks we’ll have this discussion.”
