Coalition will not witch hunt political opponents – Granger

Last Updated on Tuesday, 17 March 2015, 21:03 by GxMedia

Presidential candidate for the opposition coalition, David Granger on Tuesday assured the business community that if he wins the upcoming general and regional elections he would not be hunting down or sidelining political opponents but would instead create an inclusionary system to run the country.

“We are not going to be an administration that is bent on revenge, that is bent on recrimination or that is bent of retribution. It is going to be one that is based on respect,” he told a Business Luncheon organised by the Guyana Manufacturers and Services Association (GMSA).

On assuming office in 1992 for the first time in 28 years, then President Cheddie Jagan had promised that there would have been no recrimination or discrimination.

He again used the opportunity to tout a government of national unity rather than the winner-take-all system that is inherently unstable, characterized by repeated parliamentary clashes and minority governments. “The APNU+AFC pre-election coalition will create for the first time in Guyana a government of national unity. We will reduce clashes in parliament and we will guarantee political stability,” he said.

Granger has repeatedly promised to include members of the now governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) who are not tainted by bad governance and corruption.

He added that “we must restore faith in government” by making Mabaruma, Mahdia, Bartica, and Lethem towns and hold long Local Government Elections for the first time since 1994.

Apparently referring to the refusal by the incumbent administration to assent to Bills passed by the then opposition-controlled National Assembly on grounds that they were illegal or did not involve the Executive, Granger sought to assure businesspersons that Bills and measures passed by the House would be signed into law. 

Other plans include periodic Local Government Elections and an end to premature suspension and dissolution of the National Assembly as well as a “truly independent” judiciary, Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Should the APNU+AFC gain office on May 11, 2015 he said a Public Service Appellate Tribunal, a fully functional Police Complaints Authority, a tripartite Budget Committee and Office of Legal Counsel of the National Assembly would be established.

We will not have a legislative branch dominated and dictated to by the Executive branch,” he said.

The APNU+AFC Presidential Candidate said the constitutionally required Procurement Commission would be also established to ensure a “transparent procurement process.”