APNU+AFC ‘unreasonable’ – PSC
AN OFFER by the Private Sector Commission (PSC) was made only to host a presidential debate and the political Opposition’s unwavering demand that a prime ministerial debate be a prerequisite to the former is unreasonable. This position was articulated by Kit Nascimento, chairman of the PSC news conference held at the Commission’s Waterloo Street office.
The PSC Chairman, Ramesh Persaud, added that the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has agreed to a presidential debate but has stood firm in declining the demand for a prime ministerial debate first, from the alliance of A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC).
The ruling party, in a recent statement stressed that its Prime Ministerial candidate, Elisabeth Harper will not be debating the APNU+AFC coalition Prime Ministerial candidate, Moses Nagamootoo since it will not allow him to disrespect her further.
Additionally, the PSC Chairman noted that all arrangements are in place for the presidential debate to take place. “If they say yes today, we will be ready tomorrow,” he said.
Persaud bemoaned the inability of Guyana’s major political parties to reach a compromise, rather than holding fast to their positions, on a “simple” matter like a debate.
He contends that it does not augur well for the future. “We are concerned,” he said.
Meanwhile, weeks away from one of the most significant General and Regional Elections on May 11, there is much anticipation for a debate of current issues and policy matters by politicians bidding for top leadership posts in Guyana.
Earlier this month, another attempt to host such a forum was impeded. Three rounds of town-hall style debates proposed by the National Communications Network (NCN) have been cancelled after non-confirmation from the APNU+AFC coalition.
A statement from the Network yesterday said, “The National Communications Network Incorporated has been forced to abandon its series of debates, which was scheduled to commence (on) Wednesday April 1, 2015, after exhaustive efforts failed to get all stakeholders on board.” It added that the debate series is aimed at allowing the two main contesting political parties in the General and Regional Elections and other stakeholders to ventilate their positions on several national issues, including the sugar and bauxite industries and crime and security.
Political observers contend that the forced cancellation of the NCN debates and the delays in rolling off the PSC initiative, leading up to the May 11 polls, are unfortunate. -- (Vanessa Narine)
