Leader of the Opposition, retired Brigadier David Granger has declared that he is ready to lead Guyana and any government he forms will be one of national unity and one of inclusionary democracy. Speaking at his party’s Friday press conference, Mr. Granger said an APNU government will include and involve players for the other political parties and other groups since Guyana cannot move forward with the other side being marginalized.
On Monday, the National Assembly will reconvene and when it does, the Opposition parties intend to move forward with their no confidence motion against the Guyana Government. With the combined Opposition parties holding the majority in the National Assembly, it is almost certain that the motion will be passed and the government will be forced to call General Elections within months.
But President Donald Ramotar has threatened to shut down the debate on the no confidence motion by either proroguing the Parliament or dissolving it all together. If he dissolves the Parliament, he would have to set the stage for national elections, however, if he prorogues it, he will be allowed six months before calling the National Assembly back.
The Opposition parties are convinced that the President might be leading more towards proroguing the Parliament and use the six month period to launch their campaign.
Granger said such a move will be one to silence the views of the people’s representatives while spending the people’s money for political purposes.
“The President doesn’t seem to have worked out the possibility of an angry population”, the Opposition Leader said.
He said the President should allow a debate on his party’s tenure in office and try to defend its record. But the APNU, Granger said, is prepared for National Elections and while it may not have the funds to match those of the party in power, it is convinced that the PPP will cause its own destruction because Guyanese have become “fed up” with the way the party has been governing.
“The elections will be won by a population which is fed with the PPP. It will be won by voters who have turned against the PPP. They are fed up with Anilgate, they are fed up with Priyagate, they are fed up with Ashni gate and they want to get out and have a new government. Whether there is money or not, people are fed up with the PPP”.
According to Mr. Granger, “People have had three additional years of PPP misconduct in office, of PPP lawlessness and I think that the PPP’s performance under President Ramotar has been very costly for them and it will make up for the absence of funds on the part of the Opposition. I really believe that money will not be able to convince a lot of people that they should put the PPP back in for another five years”.
The Alliance For Change also believes that the Donald Ramotar administration might try to buy time in office by proroguing the Parliament. The two opposition parties have been meeting and say they will devise a strategy to deal with any possibilities that might arise if a move is made to block the no confidence motion.
Filed: 7th November, 2014
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