The Citizenship Initiative (CI) is adamant that it will not be entering into any “friends with benefits” arrangement with the AP NU+AFC Government or the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). Specifically making this comment was CI’s Executive Member, Ruel Johnson.
During an interview with Guyana Standard, Johnson said that power by any means necessary is not CI’s modus operandi, therefore, the notion of a coalition is off the table.
Johnson said, “We will not be entering a coalition. For the purposes of contesting an election, it is a legal issue. A coalition is circumscribed by certain critical arrangements, including the ability of the head of the list to punish anyone on that list. If we go into parliament on anyone’s list then we are subject to censure by that list.”
The Executive Member added, “So we can talk cheese and say ‘Our deal was to have Constitutional Reform and you are not doing it and we will not vote for your budget.’ Just like that they can take you off, replace you, and move ahead with their plans.”
Johnson also noted that the head of the list can decide that previously negotiated seats in parliament would not be given to its smaller partner if he or she believes that they did not bring in the expected votes.
“They can say that they basically won the elections on their own and decide what you get access to or not so we are willing to take the risk to contest alone,” Johnson said.
The Executive Member noted that CI’s objective is to ensure more public accountability, greater consideration for the distribution of control over national patrimony and to insist that the leaders of the day follow through on this.
