THE Alliance For Change (AFC) said the Cummingsburg Accord, which brought together the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the AFC as a coalition to contest the May 2015 General and Regional Elections, has achieved its initial objectives.
February 14 marked three years since the Cummingsburg Accord was signed by the political parties at the Georgetown Club in the capital city. “The signing of the historic agreement created the broad coalition between the APNU and AFC, a total of six political parties to contest the May 11, 2015 General and Regional Elections and which led to the removal of the PPP/C from government and the installation of the APNU+AFC coalition.
“The Accord laid the foundation for the restoration of honour, dignity, credibility and unprecedented levels of accountability and transparency in executive governance in Guyana. The Cummingsburg Accord is, without question or debate, one of the most significant partnership and collaborative agreements in the Caribbean’s political history,” the AFC said in a statement on Friday.
It noted too that the accord dealt a significant blow to “divisive ethnic politics” which had ensnared Guyana for decades. It is the view of the AFC that the agreement has paved a way for the country’s political engagement to be elevated to a higher level.
“The party recognises that much work remains to be done to further raise the level of political discourse and engagement, but the path which the country has chosen is irreversible. The gains Guyana has made as a result of the Accord are irrevocable,” the party said, while adding that the agreement was both inevitable and imperative for the greater national good.
However, the alliance, in its statement, did not clearly state whether it will meet with the President and Leader of the APNU, David Granger to have the accord reviewed and amended.
On the anniversary of the Cummingsburg Accord, President Granger said that the AFC had several options – proceed with the accord as it is, allow it to expire at 2020 or make request for a meeting. But he noted that a review was not compulsory.
AFC Leader Raphael Trotman, on the same day, had underscored the importance of having the accord reviewed in its third year of existence. Trotman said while he would like to see the Accord continued, it should also be strengthened following a review process among the parties involved. “As we begin to go into the second historic Local Government Elections in this country in a few months, historic because this government was able to restore Local Government Elections after two decades of the absence of them, one of the glaring absences in the accord is the fact that the specifics for Local Government Elections are not taken care of,” he explained.
It was explained that at the time of signing the accord, the focus was on General and Regional Elections and not Local Government Elections. Trotman made it clear that the AFC has no regrets entering into the Accord, and maintains the view that President Granger was the best person to lead the coalition.
