The PNC/R has halted the talks because of perceived grievances with the governing People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and Hoyte last week said agreements have to be implemented before the dialogue can be resumed.

Addressing the issue yesterday at his regular post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the President, Luncheon said the PNC/R "has concentrated its ire at the PPP/C Government on the issue of implementation" and this has been noted by the President.

He pointed out that Hoyte, in a letter to Mr. Jagdeo made public last week, laid out the PNC/R's concerns and interpretation of progress in the dialogue process.

Luncheon stated that the President had written the Opposition Leader prior to his public statement, indicating his lack of conviction about the soundness of his (Hoyte's) contentions.

"The President also pointed out the soundness of the dialogue and inferred to Mr. Hoyte that indeed commendable progress had been made, first and foremost the benefits that had accrued to the society at large, and all the downstream consequences of having a dialogue instead of confrontation," Luncheon stressed.

President Jagdeo also pointed out to Mr. Hoyte, the steps taken and the agreements arrived at as a result of the dialogue, Luncheon maintained.

This included the state of affairs of the joint committees that were established out of the dialogue process.

"President Jagdeo is contending that the efforts that have been put into the dialogue so far have indeed been worthy of confidence building; they have been reassuring and it is felt by the Office of the President that the dialogue process should continue to allow its benefits to be further magnified," Luncheon told reporters.