Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon says that talks between Government and Opposition are “in a bit of a vacuum” because of the focus on the PNCR’s Congress and will not likely get back on track before early August.
He made this disclosure during his weekly post-Cabinet press briefing held at the Office of the President yesterday.
The PNCR is the main party in A Partnership for National Unity, which, together with the Alliance For Change, forms the majority Opposition in the National Assembly.
Only on Tuesday, Presidential Advisor on Governance Gail Teixeira had accused the Opposition of foot dragging on the continuation of the talks. But the Leader of the Opposition David Granger hit back at Government, saying that they were the ones being serpentine when it came to the talks.
The PNCR Congress takes place from July 27 – 29 and there will be the election of office bearers on the last day of the Congress. Among the offices for which elections are being held are Leader of the PNCR, Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Treasurer.
“The conclusion of the Congress activities by [early August] and the institutionalisation of the outcome may be a good time for a return to the talks. We are not expecting the talks to occur for the rest of July,” Luncheon said.
Talks have tapered off since early June when a number of agreements had been reached between Government and Opposition, inclusive of local government legislation being brought back to Parliament.
