Jagdeo will go all out to reach PNC -Lumumba
Presidential Adviser on Empowerment, Odinga Lumumba says that President Bharrat Jagdeo will let nothing stand in his way in efforts to reach out to PNC leader Desmond Hoyte. Speaking yesterday on the Sunrise Show on Channel 6 television with journalist Clem David, Lumumba said President Jagdeo was mindful of Hoyte and the PNC's contention that the PPP/Civic government was illegal. "Regardless of his position, even though he says that it is an illegal government... this President is going to write [to] him, and take steps to let the public know that he is willing to sit with the opposition leader and discuss the future of this country," Lumumba said. During his inauguration last week, President Jagdeo had said that he intended to make talks with Hoyte a priority. At a press conference prior to the swearing in on Wednesday, Hoyte had said he would have to wait on an invitation from the President, "study it and give an appropriate response." Lumumba said that the new president has recognised that there is a court challenge to the 1997 General Elections but felt that the interest of the country should be his first priority. "We have to be bigger than any court battle. While the courts take care of their business, the opposition leader has an obligation to take care of the nation's business and you cannot take care of the nation's business by making noise you have to... [sit] down with the President of this country," Lumumba posited. Hoyte had told reporters that the party still held the position that Mrs Janet Jagan's presidency was illegitimate and that President Jagdeo would find that the party had not changed its position. Lumumba noted that both Dr Rupert Roopnaraine of the Working People's Alliance (WPA) and Leader of The United Force (TUF) Manzoor Nadir, although they "criticised [President Jagdeo's] appointment" were present at the inauguration. He said that the President felt that the issue now was not between Jagdeo and Hoyte, but the well-being of more than 700,000 people who will suffer if the two major political parties at the very least "cannot respect each other and come to an agreement on how to move this country forward." Meanwhile, Lumumba slammed opposition leader Hoyte for making allegations about rampant discrimination in Guyana. He said that once in the National Assembly he had challenged Hoyte to bring the proof to the attention of the National Assembly but said that the opposition leader said that he did not know the procedure for doing this. Lumumba said he found it incredible that a man with Hoyte's experience in parliament would say that he did not know the procedure for bringing up issues relating to discrimination. He said that it was obvious that the PNC did not have evidence to back up its claims of discrimination and was beating that drum since that was all the political ammunition it had at its disposal. Lumumba also denied that there were many instances of corrupt practices being perpetrated by senior government officials. He stressed that government knew that there was corruption but noted that it had always underlined its commitment to dealing with it at all levels.
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