Govt. should stop ‘runaround’ and engage opposition

“approach to OAS will get nowhere” – AFC

The Alliance for Change (AFC) has rejected government claims that the opposition was abusing its one seat majority, describing it as absurd and ludicrous. The party scoffed at the Government’s approach to the Organization of American States (OAS), with the complaint that “the opposition is destabilizing Parliamentary proceedings”.

AFC Chairman Nigel Hughes

The AFC opined that the Government’s action is an attempt at regaining full control of the State, and thus urged the current Administration to, “Stop running around and engage the opposition.” The party’s leader, Khemraj Ramjattan said that, “the attempts by the Government to engage international bodies will get nowhere.” He posited that the Government must realize that they must engage the Opposition and other stakeholders in a “magnanimous climate” so that meaningful discussions could be held. He however indicated that such talks would serve no purpose if the Government continues to seek total control. “The organizations have strong footholds in the country and know what is happening and whether cries by the government are genuine or crocodile tears,” Ramjattan noted. “The corruption levels,” he highlighted, “have risen beyond all expectations. The control that a minority government wants at the assembly is as if they are the majority government.” “For the government to say that the Opposition wants to destabilize the country is the furthest thing that any diplomat in the country would see as the real occurrence,” Ramjattan noted.

 Instead, he blamed the government for attempting destabilization, “by virtue of not acting in the norms of good governance and the rule of law.” He asserted that the same utterances were made by major critical commentators with tremendous credibility, such as Christopher Ram and Anand Goolsaran. Those persons he said have been making damning remarks, comments based on analysis of the Government, while mainstream media have been highlighting it.

Ramjattan further slammed government’s accusations that the opposition is using its one seat majority to dominate; calling that “propaganda” and “ridiculous.”

AFC member Cathy Hughes also noted that the Government is confused with the role of the opposition, which is to endure “accountability of the public purse.” She said all the comments and extremism boils down to the Government not understanding that the opposition has a role in the interest of the population to ensure that the people’s money is well spent. She said that if the government wants to misinterpret the role of the opposition and claim that their acts are destabilizing the country, then they need training and re-education in that area.