Gov’t to continue to engage PPP – Granger

-says PNCR to focus on leadership in governing coalition

President of Guyana and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Leader David Granger says that despite the rejection from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), he will continue to press it to co-operate for the social cohesion of the nation.

It is towards this end that Granger, during his final address to delegates at the just-concluded PNCR Biennial Congress, charged members of the party to take up leadership, fellowship, statesmanship and stewardship roles to ensure a united Guyana.

“These are the four elements of our final charge—our leadership, our fellowship, our statesmanship and our stewardship to the population, the four ships,” Granger told reporters shortly after the Congress ended on Sunday.

Further, he noted, “The opposition has indicated that it does not have interest at this point in time. I will continue to engage Mr. (Bharrat) Jagdeo and the PPP. That is a standard policy of the coalition and not only to engage the political opposition but also non-governmental organisations and civil society.”

Granger explained that with the party preparing to celebrate its 60th anniversary next year, he has underscored its overall role within APNU, “APNU’s role within the coalition and the coalition’s role within the government” for the future development of the nation.

“We urged our supporters and our members to pay more attention to the stewardship of the coalition. As far as the party is concerned, we urged the party to pay more attention to the leadership within the partnership APNU and within the coalition and we appealed for stronger fellowship within the party, between the diaspora and the local regions, so those were the essential elements of the charge,” he explained.

“The fourth element of the charge was that we should demonstrate statesmanship and stay away from the ranting that had been taking place in other quarters and demonstrate to the Guyanese population that we are  the government and we are  not going to go into the gutter and we are not going to contribute to racial division,” he added.

He pointed to his opening address to the Congress, where he has recommitted the PNCR to its pacts with other political parties, including the governing APNU+AFC coalition, while saying that it is critical to tackling the many issues in Guyana and the need to exhibit the spirit of social cohesion, which he stressed was focused on combating exclusion and marginalisation, creating a sense of belonging, and promoting upward mobility.

“There is no special mandate coming out of this Congress but they expect that in fulfillment of our obligation to social cohesion, which is one of my major planks of my presentation, that that will be an ongoing feature of government relations inside the National Assembly and outside,” he stressed

On Friday, he had emphasised to attendees at the opening of the Congress that “We need not be divided, we need to build cooperative relationships at all levels of society, including among political parties.”

As he reflected on the first quarter of the coalition’s term in office, the Guyanese leader felt that his administration has done well and will continue the same developmental trajectory for the duration of its term.

“We are aware that the coalition has already spent twenty five percent of its tenure, 15 months of its 60 months, and we are satisfied that we have done well so far and we will continue working over the next biennial, all the way up to 2020, to make sure that our commitments to the Guyanese population are discharged,” he said.

And as for members who attended the Congress, Granger felt that they left the congress not only fully comprehending what their roles are but satisfied at the overall execution of the event.

“I would say that the delegates left satisfied and they are aware of the direction in which we are travelling. They are satisfied in the organisation of the party and they are resolved in accordance with my appeal on the first day to strengthen the coalition so that we go into the next election in 2020 still united,” he said. “As we said it is better together than asunder,” he added.