…as APNU, AFC work to hammer out differences on revised Cummingsburg Accord

PRESIDENT David Granger and Leader of the Alliance For Change, Khemraj Ramjattan, will meet today as the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and AFC work to hammer out differences relating to the revision of the Cummingsburg Accord.

The last meeting, held on Wednesday, October 23, 2019, ended on a ‘sour note,’ at least for the AFC. A day after the meeting, the AFC reported that the negotiation had been stalled over the naming of the Prime Ministerial Candidate. According to its Executive Member, Dominic Gaskin, the matter of naming the Prime Ministerial Candidate was repeatedly deferred without any plausible explanation from the APNU. But APNU lead negotiator, Volda Lawrence, in refuting claims that the negotiation is on ‘hold,’ told Guyana Chronicle that the negotiation will resume once David Patterson, who was on travel duties, returns to the country.

Patterson returned to Guyana over the weekend. Patterson, who is also the party’s General Secretary told the Guyana Chronicle that the AFC’s position remains the same – it must identify the Prime Ministerial Candidate in keeping with the fundamental tenets of the Cummingsburg Accord, which was signed by both the AFC and APNU on February 14, 2015. Weighing on the matter, President David Granger said the APNU and the AFC should focus on principles and policies first before treating with personalities.

Last week Chairman of the AFC, Raphael Trotman warned that the electorate could respond negatively to a divided coalition, and that it was important for the AFC and its coalition partner to find common ground as they renegotiate the 2015 Cummingsburg Accord ahead of the 2020 General and Regional Elections. “Ultimately the Executive will make that determination whether or not the AFC goes alone or whether or not it goes as a coalition,” Trotman said but made it clear that a coalition is the better option. “I don’t see a better alternative to the coalition, quite frankly. So I think compromise has to be found on both sides, and we will find a solution to this, and I am confident about that,” Trotman said.
He said the AFC saw “value” in the coalition in 2015, and today, the ethos and value remain the same.

The AFC Chairman said despite the disagreements between the two sides, he believes that the matter will be resolved in time. “I believe that in every engagement of this nature you will have moments of disagreement but I believe that ultimately both parties wish, as I said earlier, and desire a coalition. So the pause for me does give us an occasion to seriously reflect on where we were four or five years ago, and of course to look ahead as to where we want to go and bearing in mind the people’s expectation of us,” Trotman said.

He emphasised that in negotiation, there must be compromise. Referencing to the 2018 Local Government Elections, Trotman said based on the results, it was clear that the people were dissatisfied that the APNU and the AFC had contested those elections independently. He warned to enter the General and Regional Elections as independent parties could be detrimental to both sides. “We are likely to see a reaction that is not in our best interest if we are separate and apart,” he posited.

Focus on principles
Meanwhile, President Granger, in an interview with Gordon Moseley last week, maintained that the focus of the negotiations right now should be on principles and policies. He said that all of the parties within the coalition agreed to a three-stage process of negotiation. “The first stage is the discussion and agreement on core principles,” he said, “and we’ve passed that stage successfully; both the APNU and the AFC have agreed on core principles. The second stage is the revision of the Cummingsburg Accord, and I’ve stated repeatedly that this is not the time to speak about personalities; it’s the time to speak about principles and policies.”

During the third stage, President Granger said, the “Coalition” will establish its manifesto for the coming elections. Once these principles and policies are agreed upon, he said, the identification of personalities will fall into place. He also noted that there have been no formal discussions on the matter of personalities, apart from the uncontested re-selection of himself as the Presidential Candidate for the 2020 elections. “All other matters are still being discussed, and it would be premature to raise these issues at this stage,” he said.
Patterson said his party’s focus has always been on principles and policies, although maintaining that the AFC has the right to nominate the Prime Ministerial Candidate. Last June, the AFC, upon electing Khemraj Ramjattan as its Leader, nominated him for the position ahead of the 2020 General and Regional Elections.