APNU+AFC plans “eyeball-to-eyeball” meetings with grassroots

Last Updated on Tuesday, 1 September 2020, 19:56 by Denis Chabrol

The opposition A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) says it will be returning to the grassroots to take their issues to the National Assembly for the government to address them.

While maintaining that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) was declared the winner of the March 2, 2020 general elections based on fraudulent votes, Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon indicates that APNU+AFC will use its 31 seats to address the concerns of ordinary Guyanese.

“Much of this work will  be done in the communities, meeting citizens eyeball-to-eyeball. This will ensure that when we represent matters on the floor of the National Assembly, these are matters that are based on issues that have been raised by the people,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the first sitting of the 12th Parliament.

The David Granger-led coalition had been often criticised for virtually abandoning its supporters after the 2015 general and regional elections.

Mr. Harmon cites out several issues of national importance that it will support the government on, while  showing the governing People’s Progressive Party that “it will not be business as usual.” “We will give our critical support as it relates to sovereignty of our nation, public security and other matters we determine to be in the public interest,”  said Mr. Harmon who is a former Minister of State.

The Opposition Leader said he was honoured to lead “this young, diverse and dynamic team” of 31 parliamentarians who include women with confidence and enthusiasm to “get the people’s work done.”

APNU+AFC, he said, would continue to push  for the Decade of Development whose major pillars are the Green State Strategy, digital state, education state and the petroleum state.

The governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has 33 seats, the opposition APNU+AFC 31 seats and the joinder parties – Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and The New Movement (TNM).