Improved governance expected under revised APNU+AFC accord

Last Updated on Wednesday, 25 December 2019, 1:33 by Writer

APNU Chairman, David Granger and AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan sign the revised political agreement between their two political organisations.

Chairman of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), David Granger said Tuesday’s signing of a revised political agreement with the Alliance For Change (AFC) has set the stage for improving the running of Guyana.

“The Coalition parties had worked well together and this revised Accord would lay the foundation for a more enhanced quality of governance for all the people of Guyana,” the APNU+AFC statement referred to Granger as saying.

Granger and AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan inked the agreement at State House in the presence of representatives of the AFC and the parties that are under the APNU umbrella.

No details about the revised Cummingsburg Accord were released in the joint statement, but representatives of both political organisations have confirmed that AFC will get a reduced number of seats and Cabinet, if they win the election, and parliamentary representation win or lose.

The accord also paved the way for Ramjattan to replace Moses Nagamootoo as Granger’s prime ministerial running mate.

No press briefing has been called as yet following the signing of the revised accord.

Following is the full text of the statement:

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) this afternoon signed the revised Cummings burg Accord. The revised accord was signed by Chairman of the APNu, Brigadier David Granger and Chairman of the AFC, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan. Mr. Joseph Harmon, General Secretary of the APNU and Mr. David Patterson, General Secretary of the AFC signed as witnesses to the agreement. 

In attendance at the signing were representatives of all the parties that make up the APNU+AFC Coalition. Representing the Guyana Action Party (GAP) was Mr. Errol Ross; Mr. Keith Scott, National Front Alliance (NFA); Ms. Tabitha Sabaro-Halley- Working People’s Alliance (WPA); and Mr. CN Sharma and Mr. Jaipaul Sharma representing the Justice For All Party (JFA). 

In brief remarks following the signing, Chairman of the APNU and President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Brigadier David Granger said that the Cummingsburg Accord was strengthened based on experiences garnered over the last four and a half years. The President said that the Coalition parties had worked well together and this revised Accord would lay the foundation for a more enhanced quality of governance for all the people of Guyana. Chairman of the AFC, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan in his remarks said that the parties in that make up the Coalition were ‘better together’ and congratulated the negotiating team that worked to fashion the revised accord.