Leader of the Alliance For Change, Nigel Hughes, today said his party is ready to re-engage its long-time coalition partner, A Partnership for National Unity, (APNU) with hopes of finding a common ground to move ahead with a coalition for the upcoming elections.

At a press conference this afternoon, Mr. Hughes said the proposals that were put forward by his party during its early talks with the APNU, were proposals for consideration. He said they were not based on personalities, but rather on fairness, respect and clean governance.

He said in its latest proposal, the AFC had accepted the nominee of the APNU for Presidential Candidate, which he noted was a major step forward for compromise.

Hughes said his party had also proposed that the leader of the list be someone that finds the agreement of both sides, but the APNU never responded to that proposal.

“To date, no counter proposal was made and there was no engagement on the content that we submitted, no real discussion on ideas, that is the simple truth. Let me be clear, this is not about one individual, it is about creating a better kind of politics,” Mr. Hughes noted.

Mr. Hughes said his party has been putting in the work to ensure that there is unity not only among its ranks but in the wider coalition should it materialize.

“The AFC believes that coalition politics can work but only when it is built on trust and balance not dominance or silence. We did not come to the table with demands we came with a proposal, we did not ask for all, we ask for what was fair, we did not insist on positions, we insisted on principles,” the AFC Leader noted.

PNC Executive Member, Ganesh Mahipaul, who formed part of the APNU’s negotiating team, told a news conference earlier in the day that his party is committed to coalition politics and is ready to re-engage the AFC.

Mr. Hughes, also stated that the AFC is ready to sit again at the negotiating table with the APNU.

“Even now, our door remains open, ready to listen, ready to engage but we will not return to a coalition model where imbalance is the norm and accountability is optional,” Hughes said.

The AFC Leader said he hopes that both parties can realize that the end goal is to give Guyanese a real, solid alternative to the PPP.

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