`I hope to meet Hoyte’
NEW President Bharrat Jagdeo assumed office yesterday afternoon hoping to influence a change in the political climate and meet PNC leader Mr. Desmond Hoyte. "I am going to invite Mr. Hoyte to a meeting", President Jagdeo told the Chronicle after his State House swearing-in at which President Janet Jagan resigned, ending some 20 months as Head of State because of health reasons. Mr. Jagdeo told the Chronicle his single most important task is working for the political climate to change by reaching out to the opposition more directly. He declined to elaborate on his plans to meet Mr. Hoyte, who kept a promise not to attend yesterday's ceremony to which he and other PNC (People's National Congress) parliamentarians were invited. Hoyte, asked at a press conference Tuesday about his willingness to meet Mr. Jagdeo when he assumed office, said he will have to "watch and see" how things develop. "I'll have to wait on that invitation, study it and give an appropriate response," the PNC leader offered. He had noted the PNC's challenge to President Jagan's accession to office and declared: "We continue to impugn her legitimacy (and) the proposed President is going to find that the position of the People's National Congress will not change." But the new President stressed that he wants to reach out to the opposition. "I extend a hand of friendship to those who are in the opposition and invite them to sit with us and iron out our differences so that we can have a common cause to serve - a cause in service to our people and nation", he said in his speech at the ceremony. Alliance For Guyana leader, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine and The United Force leader, Mr. Manzoor Nadir attended the swearing-in. "I am committing myself to be an emissary of renewed hope and a healing process in our society", the President pledged in his speech. Mr. Jagdeo took the oath of office at 15:05 hrs also promising a "comfortable environment" for locals and foreigners to invest in the development of the country. "I bring to this office no hang-ups from the past but rather the hope that all young men and women who dream dreams must have", he declared. 
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