GEORGETOWN, Guyana – Leaders of the two main parties in the opposition coalition grouping, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), met here on Monday in a bid to resolve their differences surrounding the presidential candidate for the upcoming regional and general elections in Guyana.
PNCR leader Aubrey Norton, second from left and AFC leader, Nigel Hughes, second from right, flanked by their respective party members ahead of the talks on Monday (CMC Photo)“I think the talks were useful, very useful. Hope is alive and kicking and we look forward to another engagement,” said the leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC)Nigel Hughes, who has already been put forward by the AFC as the presidential candidate.
The leader of the main opposition people’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), told reporters after the meeting “basically what we have agreed is that the AFC will put its position in writing and then we will meet to address them.
“I can say to you we haven’t closed the door on coalition,” Norton added.
Earlier, the AFC in a statement said it will accept a 60-40 split at all levels of government if the coalition forms the next government.
The AFC and the PNCR are the major parties in the APNU coalition that controls 31 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly.
In 2015, the APNU and AFC entered into a coalition based on an agreement known as The Cummingsburg Accord. The coalition campaigned on that Accord, and won the elections that year. But they were defeated in the 2020 controversial elections.
When the Accord expired, the AFC opted not to renew it, while maintaining its seats in the National Assembly as coalition.
In a statement following what it described as more than “four hours of robust, open and candid discussions,” on Sunday, the AFC said it passed a resolution accepting a 60-40 split at all levels of the government if the coalition wins the next elections.
It said the 60 per cent of the positions will be held by the representatives of the APNU.
“The party from which the Presidential Candidate is named, shall not be permitted to nominate and/or occupy the position of the Leader on the list,” the AFC said, adding that in keeping with the unanimous decision of the NEC (National Executive Committee) in January of this year, Hughes, shall be its presidential candidate.
The PNCR for its part, has maintained that Norton, be the presidential candidate for any coalition or that person must be drawn from the PNCR.
The party held a two-day General Council meeting over the last weekend with Norton stating “we are committed towards working to a coalition but ‘we ain’t guh leh nobadee mek deh eyes pass we’ (we will allow nobody to disrespect us).
“We are well aware that we are better together. We are also well aware that we carry the burden of the work,” he said.
A statement posted on the party’s website, quoted Norton as saying “let it be clearly understood: this Council is not a mere formality. Yes, it is a convocation of conscience. It is where we reaffirm our unity, recommit to our purpose, and re-energize our resolve to lead this nation forward, not in pieces or factions, but as one united PNCR”.
