The leaderships of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) met today in the first of a series of planned meetings. The engagement, the PNCR said, came amidst calls by opposition supporters for a show of unity among opposition parties as the country prepares for the upcoming General and Regional Elections.
The parties in a joint statement said that a frank discussion was held, and they exchanged views on the current political situation, including the need to ensure that the coming elections are conducted in a manner that enjoys the confidence of all parties.
Towards this end, it was agreed that the work started by the joint opposition parties (PNCR and WPA) should be expanded and intensified. The parties also engaged in a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the APNU+AFC Coalition both in and out of office and committed themselves to correcting the flaws identified, the parties said.
They noted that some of the issues discussed include the role of small parties in coalition decision making, the need for a joint, integrated platform, mechanisms to mitigate conflicts within the coalition and for the constituent parties to act in unison even as they retain their independence.
“The possibility of the WPA returning to the APNU was also discussed. In the end, it was agreed that despite mistakes, coalition politics remains a best option for the country. Against that background, the two parties decided in principle to work jointly at two levels,” the joint-statement read.
“First, it was agreed that the work of the joint opposition parties should be broadened to include other forms of political engagement. Second, the parties agreed to begin discussions towards the formation of a coalition to contest the upcoming elections, but to leave the door open for other parties which may wish to join.”
A second meeting has been set before the Christmas holidays. The PNCR delegation was led by Party Leader, Aubrey C. Norton and included Party Chairman, Shurwayne Holder and General Secretary, Sherwin Benjamin. The WPA delegation was led by Co-Leader, Dr. David Hinds and included Co-Leaders Tacuma Ogunseye and Rohit Kanhai and party Chairman, Deon Abrams.
