Coalition talks moving “slow” between APNU/AFC – Greenidge
By Fareeza Haniff
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Chief Negotiator for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Carl Greenidge says the pro-democracy alliance talks with the Alliance For Change (AFC) is moving “relatively slowly.”
Greenidge told some members of the media on Thursday, January 29 that there is expected to be some “acceleration” in the coming week as discussions continue with the AFC.
He explained that the process is a difficult one but the Parties are committed to concluding the talks.
“I am hoping that in the coming week, you will see an acceleration in both the engagements and in the progress on that front. It is not an easy arena and I don’t want to give the impression that the acceleration itself will mean that you’re going to resolve the issue because coalition or alliance type talks are notoriously difficult especially where Parties are imbalanced in terms of their relative sizes in the electorate proportionately and where they have constituencies that overlap. It is something of a difficulty,” Greenidge said.
He did not want to pronounce further on the matter, citing an agreement between both sides not to prejudice the progress of the discussions.
Leader of the APNU, David Granger had noted that the coalition talks are expected to be concluded in three weeks time and that a seven member team has been appointed by the APNU to lead the discussions.
The AFC has also appointed its team, headed by General Secretary, David Patterson. Other members include Basil Williams, who is representing the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNCR), Sydney Allicock representing the Guyana Action Party (GAP), Rupert Roopnaraine of the Working Peoples Alliance (WPA), Keith Scott for the National Front Alliance (NFA) and George Norton, who will be representing APNU’s shadow Cabinet.