The Joint Opposition Political Parties (JOPP) is still weeks away from an official campaign launch and according to PNCR Presidential Candidate David Granger they have been moving “carefully not slowly” in the approach to establish a government of national unity.
JOPP will announce the launch of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Friday, but no major announcements are expected though speculation is rife that the presidential and prime ministerial candidates have been identified.
“There has been no discussion on the issue on a Prime Ministerial Candidate of JOPP, as far as I am aware no such decision was taken,” Granger, however, told Stabroek News yesterday. The PNCR presidential candidate has been widely tipped as the person who will lead the JOPP.
Granger said too that the pace at which JOPP has been moving reflects careful deliberations. “It is not that we have been moving slowly, we have to ensure that the varying interests are taken on board and that all decisions are made with the full involvement of all parties,” he explained.
Since JOPP is only expected to make an announcement that it has reached an agreement on a partnership, Granger said, a formal launch is likely to be early July. The parties have set July 8 as a tentative date for the formal launch.
“JOPP is attempting for the first time to establish a government of national unity… I think caution would be advised,” Granger noted, adding that the parties are also working on a declaration to be unveiled at the Friday launch.
Members of the JOPP include the People’s National Congress Reform, the Working People’s Alliance, the Guyana Action Party and the National Front Alliance. Recently, Peter Ramsaroop and his Guyana People’s Partnership re-joined the coalition talks.
