PRESIDENT David Granger on Tuesday expressed disgust at the resistance of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to government.
In response to a question posed by members of the media on the state of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), the President said, many PPP councillors are very “uncooperative.”

Since the Local Government Elections (LGE) were held in 2015, there has been an ongoing battle between councillors on both sides of the divide. “Many times the Minister of Communities would call a meeting and they would not show up. The Regional Chairman wouldn’t show up, the councillors wouldn’t show up and the Mayor too,” lamented President Granger.

He said, government is made up of three levels; the municipal, regional and national levels and in order for there to be progress, all levels must cooperate. The President, as such, called on the PPP councillors to show cooperation by showing up to meetings and playing an active role in the management of the RDCs.

Only recently the Head of State told this newspaper that there has been a consistent lack of cooperation by the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), to have dialogue with the government on matters of national importance outside of the constitutional requirements. The President described the non-cooperation by the Opposition as “dysfunctional,” during an exclusive interview with the Guyana Chronicle.
He made it clear that his administration is not opposed to talks with the Opposition on non-constitutional matters, but noted that “it is good to speak with people who are not prepared to speak with you and we have had some difficulties.”

The Head-of-State cited several examples, including his address to the National Assembly at the beginning of every session and budgetary consultations. “For example, last October, I addressed Parliament to lay out the legislative agenda, and the financial considerations and the entire Opposition was absent.
“When the budget consultations take place, they send a junior person or they don’t participate at all. The reform of the sugar industry, the attendance is very spotty. There has been a very low level of cooperation on the part of the Opposition,” said President Granger.

He noted that the resistance by the Opposition does not exist only at the level of Central Government, but also regionally. “I have been to some meetings and the Regional Chairman won’t come to meet me, the Ministry of Communities has had seminars and the persons who have been elected on the PPP ticket don’t show up; municipal and regional levels.”

President Granger assured that notwithstanding the challenges faced with regard to political dialogue between the coalition Government and the Opposition, he has no issue consulting with the PPP outside of constitutional matters. “So we have had a lack of cooperation from the Opposition in many areas. I would consult them yes, in matters of GECOM and things I am required to consult him on, and outside of the Constitution, but they have been very uncooperative.” Moreover, the President described the resistance from the Opposition as dysfunctional.

“We expect resistance from the Opposition, but it is uncooperative to the level of being dysfunctional. And, if you have a system in which [the] regional administration refuses to cooperate with the Central Government, it is beyond defiance, it starts to become dangerous and I think the Opposition has to bear responsibility for that,” the President added.