President Donald Ramotar and a team met on Thursday with a team from the AFC and the two sides remain far apart on key issues such as the Public Procurement Commission and the two bills passed by the opposition which were not assented to.
The AFC statement issued today follows:
The leader of the Alliance For Change Khemraj Ramjattan, General Secretary David Patterson and Treasurer Dominic Gaskin met with President Donald Ramotar, Dr. Luncheon, and advisor Gail Texeira on Thursday 30th May between 5:30 and 7:45 pm.
The President’s invitation for a meeting was accepted after he had indicated that he wanted to have a direct communication line with the leaders of political parties so as to express his views on the major political and economic matters of concern, and also to hear very directly the views of the political parties on these issues.
The AFC made it clear that it did not want this new development to become a talk-shop with an excess of political gaffe, with nothing fruitfully being realized and no concrete follow-up action being taken. As a result of this approach, the AFC team heard the President’s perspective on a number of matters; and in return the President heard the AFC’s perspective on same.
Outlined in summary form were the matters discussed:
Public Procurement Commission – After lengthy discussion in which the President tried to make his case for maintaining Cabinet’s no-objection role in procurement matters, the AFC maintained our position that there should be no cabinet involvement in the tender process, that the PPC must be established under the existing legal framework. It was finally agreed that Dr. Luncheon would put their arguments in writing to which we could then respond in writing with a view to narrowing down precisely where we differ. The positions will then be made public.
NCN – The President seemed to believe that the bias on the part of some of the private media was justification for the bias displayed, in Government’s favour, by NCN. Our team argued the case that NCN should be run on lines like the BBC. He requested that AFC write to them on what AFC wants, which we will do.
NIS – The President wants an AFC financial nominee to the NIS Board. The AFC asked how early will the Board members be removed and recommended that the entire board of NIS be replaced, however the Government indicated that Dr. Luncheon will remain as Chairman, with new members assisting the board. Dr. Luncheon was critical of Opposition bashing the NIS and making out that the NIS is about to collapse. He is to circulate Government’s discussion paper on NIS to the AFC.
Radio Licenses – President avoided discussion on whether or not former President Jagdeo acted in bad faith. Their position is that the leader of the opposition delayed naming their nominee to the Broadcast Authority and this delayed the commencement of the new Act. The AFC advocated a clean-slate starting with the revocation of the grants made in 2011, a reversion of these to the NFMU; and, with all applying to a new and the Broadcasting Authority granting.
GPL – The President was concerned about the budget cut of $5B. The AFC pointed out that the real cost of fuel this year will be 8% less than the anticipated costs due to a fall of world oil prices, means that GPL will have an additional monies. The AFC made it clear that the GPL Board be sacked and more monies would be saved almost instantaneously. The reduction of line losses and improving efficiency at GPL are areas the AFC continues to be concerned about.
Amaila Falls – The President was very concerned about this cut. The AFC team assured him that the AFC will support this once the IDB due diligence approves the project. The President mentioned that lack of approval might send the wrong signal to IDB. We begged to disagree.
Berbice Bridge toll reduction – The President asked us to explain how we propose that this be achieved since to pressure a private company to reduce its rates will be nationalization. He suggested that the AFC should put its proposal to the Board of Berbice Bridge Company.
Assent of two bills – President Ramotar was adamant that he would not give his assent to these Bills as they are unconstitutional. There was no movement on this. He also stated that the Opposition was welcome to bring them back in six months. We assured him that we would and that if he chose not to assent, the AFC wwould not give support to the Anti-Money Laundering Bill. We indicated that he should assent and let his litigious AG take it to Court for that body to pronounce on unconstitutionality of the Act.
Appointment of Chancellor of Judiciary – President stated that he does not want to advertise for position of Chancellor, which is being asked for by the Leader of the Opposition. He asked the AFC for its thoughts which were given.
Region 8 – The AFC requested that in view of the Government’s rotation of Regional Executive Officers, maybe it was time that REO Harsaywack was rotated from Region 8. This we felt would prove whether the Government was just talking or would adhere to the principle of rotation. The AFC felt it was time that the Government considered doing so as an act of good faith.
The representatives of the Alliance For Change felt that the meeting was most cordial and discussions were indeed very frank.
