APNU willing to rotate Speaker position with AFC
Written by Kwesi Isles
Thursday, 05 January 2012 13:02 DEMERARA WAVES
Opposition coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) says its is prepared to rotate the Speaker of the House position with the Alliance For Change (AFC) or find a consensus candidate from outside the parties to break their current deadlock.
The two parties control the House with the APNU securing 26 seats and the AFC seven at the November 28 polls. The APNU has proposed PNCR chairman Cammie Ramsaroop or attorney Deborah Backer as its choice to become the Speaker while the AFC is adamant that the position should go to its member Moses Nagamootoo, a former PPP stalwart since APNU will have several other positions.
At a news briefing on Thursday APNU parliamentary candidate Annette Ferguson, reading from a prepared statement, said they will continue to discuss the Speakership as part of a larger menu of talks with the AFC.
“APNU is also favourably disposed to the two parties holding the Speakership on a rotational basis, with APNU holding the position for the first term. Should the parties fail to find agreement on the candidates proposed thus far, APNU has suggested that a consensus candidate from outside the ranks of the parties be considered,” she said.
Contacted by Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com) AFC Leader Raphael Trotman said the party is sticking to its principled position that Nagamootoo should be accepted as the Speaker but noted that the APNU latest position is somethin the party leadership will have to discuss.
"This, however,introduces a new and interesting aspect to the negotiations which the leadership will examine and respond to in due course," he Trotman stated.
The failure to date of the two parties to arrive at a consensus on the Speaker of the opposition-controlled National Assembly has not escaped the attention of the ruling PPP/C minority government which has proposed the return of former Speaker Ralph Ramkarran.
“The effort to forge an alliance to confront the governing party is proving for these two other parties much more difficult than they ever imagined. The first hurdle, the selection of the Speaker, reinforces the perception that their politics is not based on reason,” Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon told reporters on Wednesday.
The opposition parties believe that the Speaker should be appointed by them since they control the 65-seat House while the PPP has called for the practice of the ruling party naming the Speaker to be observed. The PPP has also said that the position is one that could be filled by consensus among the three parties.
But according to dr. Luncheon, the opposition's abandonment of consensus seeking embodied in the government’s proposed tripartite arrangement “does not auger well for the future.” The government has lamented the opposition parties’ failure to appoint two high representatives to begin tripartite talks.
Written by Kwesi Isles
Thursday, 05 January 2012 13:02 DEMERARA WAVES
Opposition coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) says its is prepared to rotate the Speaker of the House position with the Alliance For Change (AFC) or find a consensus candidate from outside the parties to break their current deadlock.
The two parties control the House with the APNU securing 26 seats and the AFC seven at the November 28 polls. The APNU has proposed PNCR chairman Cammie Ramsaroop or attorney Deborah Backer as its choice to become the Speaker while the AFC is adamant that the position should go to its member Moses Nagamootoo, a former PPP stalwart since APNU will have several other positions.
At a news briefing on Thursday APNU parliamentary candidate Annette Ferguson, reading from a prepared statement, said they will continue to discuss the Speakership as part of a larger menu of talks with the AFC.
“APNU is also favourably disposed to the two parties holding the Speakership on a rotational basis, with APNU holding the position for the first term. Should the parties fail to find agreement on the candidates proposed thus far, APNU has suggested that a consensus candidate from outside the ranks of the parties be considered,” she said.
Contacted by Demerara Waves Online News (www.demwaves.com) AFC Leader Raphael Trotman said the party is sticking to its principled position that Nagamootoo should be accepted as the Speaker but noted that the APNU latest position is somethin the party leadership will have to discuss.
"This, however,introduces a new and interesting aspect to the negotiations which the leadership will examine and respond to in due course," he Trotman stated.
The failure to date of the two parties to arrive at a consensus on the Speaker of the opposition-controlled National Assembly has not escaped the attention of the ruling PPP/C minority government which has proposed the return of former Speaker Ralph Ramkarran.
“The effort to forge an alliance to confront the governing party is proving for these two other parties much more difficult than they ever imagined. The first hurdle, the selection of the Speaker, reinforces the perception that their politics is not based on reason,” Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon told reporters on Wednesday.
The opposition parties believe that the Speaker should be appointed by them since they control the 65-seat House while the PPP has called for the practice of the ruling party naming the Speaker to be observed. The PPP has also said that the position is one that could be filled by consensus among the three parties.
But according to dr. Luncheon, the opposition's abandonment of consensus seeking embodied in the government’s proposed tripartite arrangement “does not auger well for the future.” The government has lamented the opposition parties’ failure to appoint two high representatives to begin tripartite talks.
