Exploratory agreement on APNU/AFC Coalition talks on “life support” -says Hughes

Exploratory agreement on APNU/AFC Coalition talks on “life support” -says Hughes

Clearly unhappy with tidbits of a signed agreement to explore the possibility of the APNU and the AFC once again joining forces ahead of national elections, Alliance for Change Leader, Nigel Hughes said the agreement has now found itself on “life support”.

Hughes called a press conference on Tuesday night after some information about the agreement was reported in one section of the media hours after the exploratory agreement was signed.

“I would only say that trust and confidentiality for us are particularly important,” Hughes told reporters.

However, he expressed some confidence that there is still hope that the issues that arose following the agreement would be resolved, and that the two sides can move forward on a positive note.

According to the AFC Leader, the signed exploratory agreement has two phases, with one being dependent on the other.

“The agreement was structured in two phases. The first phase would be an exploratory phase where we examine whether or not it is possible for us to collaborate in the national interest and present a joint team or a single team to contest the next elections. The second phase is dependent on whether or not we had a successful conclusion to the first phase,” he explained.

The parties have until March 31, 2025 to determine whether they will contest the elections as a united force or as independent parties.

 Jamaican politician, Alston Stewart, is leading the negotiations on behalf of the AFC.

Hughes said the AFC remains committed to contesting the elections on its own, but has agreed to consider a possible coalition in keeping with a decision of its Executive.

“We have been authorized by our executives to enter into discussion with other parties. We believe that with some parties, it is better to have documented the parameters of our engagement, just so that we are all on the same page. However, there’s no change in our commitment to enter into these elections on our own, if necessary,” he said.

Hughes said there is no agreement on who will be the Presidential Candidate, if the two sides agree to move forward together.

“There has to be a mechanism for identifying, assuming that it gets out of life support and gets back on its feet. There has to be a mechanism and a process for identifying the leadership for us. That process has to be driven by scientific means, polls and other criteria. If and when we get there, I’m sure we’ll address that,” Hughes said.

The AFC already has Hughes as its Presidential Candidate should it go it alone at the upcoming elections, and the PNC which is the major party in the APNU, has its Leader, Aubrey Norton as its Presidential Candidate. Norton has not closed the doors on a another possible candidate, but has repeatedly indicated that that candidate will have to come from the PNC and APNU.

In 2015, the APNU and AFC inked a coalition pact that saw them winning the 2015 elections. Just after they were booted from Government in 2020, the AFC opted not to renew the pact at the time, although in the National Assembly, they remain as the APNU+AFC Coalition. (Svetlana Marshall)

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