Nagamootoo to lead unity talks with PPP/C – Govt

Georgetown: Government announced a delegation headed by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo to meet with the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) for talks on national unity.
Governance Minister Raphael Trotman named the team which was expected to meet with the Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to discuss matters of inclusionary governance among other things.
But this move may be a challenge for Government as Jagdeo has already declared that his Party would not be meeting with Nagamootoo at this level. The new Prime Minister, back in 2011, parted ways with the PPP/C, of which he was said to be part all of his political life thus far. He had cited an “erosion of internal party democracy, corrupt practices, security lapses and arrogant, autocratic leadership as reasons for his leaving.
On Tuesday, Jagdeo told Journalists that he would not acknowledge any meeting with the Prime Minister. He said he would prefer to hear things from the President and from his office, as he would treat them in a more credible manner than responding to the public “utterances” of Nagamootoo.
“I think he is prone to make those utterances without any real substance to them and I don’t think in this government he is authorised to make any offer to anyone because he can’t even secure commitments that were made to him through the Cummingsburg Accord,” Jagdeo said of Nagamootoo.
Jagdeo said the Prime Minister had used his recent visit to his home village of Whim, Corentyne Berbice to carry out a display of politics.
“I don’t think Nagamootoo can make that offer. I think it was politically done given the bad reception he had in Whim,” Jagdeo related.
Members of the Nagamootoo team include Vice President Khemraj Ramjattan, Chief Whip Amna Ally, Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge, State Minister Joseph Harmon, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams and Trotman.
Asked if the stalemate between the Prime Minister and the PPP/C would not hinder the discussion, Trotman responded in the negative, noting that it should in fact be used to bring everyone together.
“There is a school of thought that said that because relationships were acrimonious in the past, it is better to put them to talk immediately so that you do not leave that and pretend and skirt around it.
“I think His Excellency favoured this school of thought and that is to have Mr Nagamootoo, who is seen as a contentious person in the eyes of the Opposition, up there and up front because if we are going to have sincere healing and reconciliation, we have to confront the devils that beset us and lessen the way we dehumanise each other,” Trotman told reporters.
Jagdeo, just over a week ago, had met with President Granger. Jagdeo had indicated that he needed to consult with Party members before a decision could be made on the proposals and also indicate when it would be ready to hold these talks.
He said he would not be responding to those issues, pointing out that there were several points on the agenda presented by the President; however, his Party was interested in raising several other issues including people, wealth creation and discrimination issues.