PPP tight-lipped about likely negotiations with APNU for local govt elections

Last Updated on Monday, 29 September 2014, 17:56 by GxMedia

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Clement Rohee was Monday tight-lipped about whether his party would be willing to negotiate with A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on holding Local Government Elections (LGE) instead of general elections.

“I am not prepared to comment on that matter. The most I can do is to give you a bright smile on that,” he said when asked by Demerara Waves Online News.

Asked whether the two parties have initiated communications to hold such talks, Rohee said “not with the PPP as a party.”  “I cannot speak for the government what is happening at that level. There is no such situation arising as far as I am aware.” 

President Donald Ramotar has told Opposition Leader David Granger that he is willing to meet with him on his return from New York on Tuesday. Granger has not ruled out such talks only if they will yield LGE.

The General Secretary said that while the PPP was always willing to talk, no one has expressed an interest to his party in holding talks or negotiations. “If such a situation was to arise, the party leadership will obviously discuss it and come to a conclusion.”

At the same time, Rohee appeared to be driving a wedge deeper between APNU and the Alliance For Change (AFC) over which elections were preferable. He suggested that the AFC might eventually bwe left out in the cold with its no-confidence motion that could result in elections being held within 90 days of its approval. “The AFC better prepare themselves for a  major fallout politically because  I don’t get the impression that the APNU is moving in the direction of supporting the no-confidence motion and if the APNU withdraws their support for the AFC’s no-confidence motion you know what we heading for,” he said, adding that much depended on what the AFC wanted.

Rohee boasted that the PPP would be able to influence its supporters and others about whether Guyanese should go to LGE or general elections.

Ironically, APNU has pledged to vote with the AFC to secure passage of that motion while at the same time it has been campaigning for LGE.