Georgetown : President Donald Ramotar will inform the nation on the way forward following a “disappointing” response by the Opposition Leader David Granger to a November 18; letter inviting him to engage in dialogue on the way forward, Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Luncheon revealed to the media today at a press conference.
He said President Ramotar will inform of his next move on Saturday, December 6. “There can be little doubt that general elections are gaining currency as a reasonable and acceptable alternative to talks among parliamentary political parties,” DR Luncheon stated.
The president, he said, has two options to choose from, following his decision to prorogue Parliament. These options are either to dissolve the parliament and call general and regional elections within a 90-day period or end the prorogation of Parliament. The other option has been discounted since the president indicated that he will not be extending the period of prorogation, a second time.
According to Dr Luncheon, the government has not been able to achieve the objectives of the almost one-month old prorogation. These were to have the political opposition meet for dialogue to discuss several key pieces of legislation which are urgently needed such as the Education Reform Bill, the Amended Anti-Money laundering Bill and the Telecommunications Bill.
President Ramotar had hoped when he prorogued Parliament on November 10 that it would have allowed for dialogue between the Executive and the Parliamentary Opposition. This has failed to materialise with both the Alliance for Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) maintaining that there will be no engagement with the government while there is a nonfunctional Parliament, amidst continuing protest action.
President Ramotar has been meeting with stakeholders including those from the private sector, non-governmental organisations and the diplomatic community. All of these stakeholders have reiterated the call for dialogue as the principle method for moving past the current Parliamentary impasse.
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