Dear Editor,

A press statement issued by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) on Monday,  September 15, 2008, amounted to three pages of letter-size verbiage producing absolute froth. It was an example of confused thinking in a feeble effort to excuse themselves for not attending the presidential meeting with the opposition parties and thereby depriving themselves of a golden opportunity to be intellectually briefed on the serious implications of vital sections of the proposed Cariforum/EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).

Instead, they attempted to politicize sensitive economic matters to which the President  on several occasions previously alluded, evidently adopting strong positions all in the interest of ensuring that Guyana is not adversely affected. The PNCR must clearly understand that with their abysmal historical past they are not in any position to attempt to lecture President Jagdeo on any matter, but more especially on matters of economic significance.

Most perplexing is the emphasis being placed on the ill-perceived shortcomings of the government in the EPA negotiations, completely overlooking that it was Caricom as a group whose responsibility it was to determine whatever was finally agreed upon in the proposed EPA. Such emphasis is typical of the state of affairs in which the PNCR now finds itself.

Yours faithfully,
David DeGroot