The Private Sector Com-mission has expressed disappointment that there was no formal response from any of the political parties on its proposal for dialogue during the prorogation of parliament.
Chairman of the PSC Ramesh Persaud stated that while President Donald Ramotar made the announcement that general elections will be held in early 2015 the core issues will not be solved by going to the polls.
He said “The issues [that] currently require dialogue, they go well beyond elections.” Persaud stated that the intention of the PSC was to act in the capacity as observers during any discussion by the government and the opposition parties. He said that in the presence of observers the accuracy of discussions could better be ventilated.
In a statement yesterday the PSC noted, “…The commitment by all political parties to prematurely end the life of the 10th Parliament by having early elections is not a positive move in achieving the inclusionary democracy envisioned in our Consti-tution.
“The Private Sector Commission wishes to remind all political parties that elections are not the totality of democracy. We would like to see our leaders engaging each other in a spirit of negotiation and compromise for the benefit of the people they serve. We hope that these principles will be espoused in the 11th Parliament.”
Persaud said the PSC’s dialogue proposal was sent to the President as well as the Leader of the Opposi-tion David Granger and Leader of the Alliance For Change Khemraj Ramjattan.
Granger had said that though well-intentioned, the proposal which called for a one-month period of meaningful dialogue read like déjà vu as similar ground was covered before.
Granger told Stabroek News that the four main components on the PSC’s proposed agenda during the stay were all issues that had been raised in the past and sidelined by the government.
The proposed agenda put forward by the PSC had included setting a date for local government elections, agreeing on a mechanism to resolve bills that were not assented to by the president, agreeing on a mechanism for approval of supplementary expenditure for 2014, and formulating an inclusionary mechanism for budget talks for the next two years. Complet-ing the set-up of all commissions required by the constitution was also proposed.
Granger explained that up until October 20, APNU and the government were engaged in discussions. “The President and the PPP government have no interest in resolution,” he said, while noting that “everyone knows that the APNU had lobbied for local government elections to be held by August 1st.
“…Anil Nandlall, the Attorney General and Basil Williams on behalf of the APNU had met and actually agreed,” he added, referring to the bills that were rejected by Ramotar.
Granger further pointed out that since 2011, prior to the general elections, APNU had proposed tripartite talks for the budget. He said, “There is no sincerity on behalf of the government, never meaningful. The government had and has said it is their budget and no tripartite discussions have come about.”
Granger stated that while he welcomed the interest and the enthusiasm of the PSC, after examination of the proposal much of what it contained had already been suggested and ventilated multiple times.
Granger noted that he did not believe at this point talks were appropriate, while saying once more that the government had ample time to engage the opposition. He recalled too that while talks were ongoing, Ramotar had publicly stated he would be a fool to set a date and call local government elections amidst a pending no-confidence motion.
