After making an informal request to the PPP to partner with the new government for national unity, President David Granger said a formal request will be dispatched soon.
“I will be doing that soon,” Granger said, when asked if a formal request will be sent to the former governing party.
During his first address to the nation after being sworn in as President last Saturday, Granger said he would have liked to see more ex-ministers and even former president Donald Ramotar present because it would have been an illustration of their commitment to inclusionary democracy. “I extend the arm of friendship to former president Donald Ramotar… to join this movement of national unity,” he had said to the deafening applause from the crowd, including coalition members and other invitees at the event.
However, the PPP said that as of Tuesday no formal or informal request had been made to it. “The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) wishes to label as deceptive the pronouncements made in the press by Leader of the APNU+AFC Coalition David Granger that he has invited the PPP/C to join ‘a national unity movement,’” a statement from the party said.
“However, to date, we have received no formal or informal invitation from the APNU+AFC on this issue.
The pronouncement, therefore of Granger, is a political gimmick and nothing else,” it added.
Granger told Stabroek News on Wednesday that he made an informal request in his speech but it seemed to him that it was not clear.
He noted if former president Ramotar was seeking a letter documenting such requests, he will be compiling it soon and have it dispatched.
Granger also reiterated a promise made in his swearing in address, saying that he was a president for all the people and that the ministers of government selected to work with him were illustrative of that.
