General Secretary of the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has bemoaned that the party’s relationship with the PNC-led APNU and AFC is going downhill in light of the various postures taken by the Aubrey Norton-led grouping which do not augur well for inclusive governance and united leadership.
He explained that inclusive governance cannot be achieved without the current PNC-led Opposition changing its posture on critical issues.
“I suspect that this “new form” of inclusive governance that they’re talking about, only has one end, that is, executive power sharing. But our point is if you can’t share a common set of values, if you believe in stealing elections and we don’t, we can’t get along well. If you don’t share economic values and other social values and patriotism, and if you’re racist, then you can’t work with us on this. You have to share common values for that to work, or else, you bring the same gridlock that we have in the Parliament now, into the Cabinet, and nothing happens.”
“You have to have a period of building trust and only then, you can have that happen.”
“But there is no building trust. In fact, we’re going further apart because every day, APNU only pushes one agenda, racism agenda and they’re unwilling to acknowledge and say “we support free, open, democratic elections”, they would say in words but not really subscribe to it. Those are two fundamental things that have to change before you can work together.”
Nevertheless, Jagdeo, who is the Vice President of the current PPP/C Government, further pointed out that the governing party is still committed to this type of governance – something which it included in its 2020 Election Manifesto.
“…we have made serious efforts in this party to have an institutional framework that promotes greater collaboration and governance, inclusive governance. No country in the Caribbean or in the Commonwealth or even further afield have those features in their Constitution…”
Since taking office in August 2020, President Dr Irfaan Ali and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton have only met once in May 2022.
Norton had snubbed a second engagement that was scheduled between the two leaders later that month and no other meetings were set since.
