He, however, urged the party to rethink its position and restart the dialogue it stalled in March this year over perceived differences with the Government.

He said that Cabinet on Tuesday engaged in a wide range of discussions on the current political situation in Guyana and its evolution, and noted that despite persistent efforts by President Jagdeo and the People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government, the PNC/R continues to refuse to return to the dialogue table.

He told his regular post-Cabinet news conference "the record will show that during the dialogue process much was accomplished but more importantly, perhaps most importantly, there was the development of a certain mindset."

"There was some reassurance in the body politic and in the society that the leaders of the main political parties were sitting down and attempting to resolve issues. There are no such assurances now and that is because the PNC wants it like that," he said.

He said it was because of this stand that the PNC/R wants "to deny Guyanese the assurance or the reassurance that the political leaders are committed to resolving the issues of Guyana. That is why that unfortunate statement (by the PNC/R) was made that `we must remove this government from office'..."

He asked, in the context of a dialogue to resolve issues, "how on earth could you in the same breath be explaining that the Government should be removed from office?"

Luncheon said PNC/R leader, Mr. Desmond Hoyte has told villagers in Buxton, where there have been recent violent protests, to "keep up the action, not keep up the dialogue."

"He said 'keep up your actions, continue doing what you're doing so that we can remove this government from office' (and) that is why the dialogue hasn't restarted," Luncheon asserted.

"They hope that there would be no need for a dialogue and that indeed somehow, I don't know, at least they are saying that it wouldn't be by force of arms, but somehow, they wouldn't have the dialogue with the PPP/C because it would not be in office. And if it takes weeks and months, they will delay the dialogue until the PPP/Civic administration falls," he said.

According to Luncheon, this is the Government's "humble analysis" of what the PNC/R is all about.

He also noted that the physical presence of the military discharging civilian law enforcement functions reflects an assertion by the Police Commissioner that such a need exists.

He said, too, that the Army and the Police were given the responsibility to design and implement whatever operations they needed to address the situation that caused the civilian law enforcement agency - the Guyana Police Force - to ask for military assistance.

"The Army has been called on based on a request by the Commissioner for support in its law enforcement activities (and) the Army and the Police have been collaborating and they have established some division of labour," he clarified in response to a question.

Luncheon called on the PNC/R to review its position and restart the dialogue process with the Government.

"It is partly in the realm of public opinion to which we are all susceptible and responsive particularly so in this national issue. This is a national question and a national issue. We all know what are the implications of political parties working for a solution.

"We all know what are the implications of political parties doing what the PNC/R is doing today. We all know how that affects the national psyche.

"It is public opinion, public pressure, that has to be brought to bear on the leadership of the PNC/R and convince them that the only rational alternative is to return to the dialogue table - that this role that they have assumed, political extremism and brinkmanship and terroristic tendencies and behaviour - this is a zero endgame and it is not worthy of a party of a national character."

"The public is now advised that another condition has been put forward (by the PNC/R before the dialogue process can be restarted). It is not only a presentation of a detailed summary that reflected the positions at which the deadlock took place. Now a public apology is being demanded for, as the PNC/R release says, the PPP alleges that the PNC/R is a terrorist organisation and an apology is due," Luncheon said.

"The sad reality is that at this same time that such an apology is being demanded, the PNC/R leadership is busy explaining to the Guyanese public and international public opinion that Mr. Hoyte's call for the Government to be removed from office was not seditious," he said.

"Though that removal that was being encouraged was certainly not by the ballot although it would seem within the context of the audiences to which he and others spoke. It must have been by continuing an intensification of the activities of the misguided", Luncheon told reporters.

He said, too, that it shouldn't be a difficult position for Hoyte having to respond to public pressures for the need for dialogue due to his declaration of "putting Guyana first".

Asked whether this gives an indication that an apology by the Government is not necessary or that one would not be forthcoming, Luncheon said, "this contention that an apology is needed has at least two dimensions. One of course is that it more than likely reflects an intention of the PNC/R to draw out and to frustrate the dialogue for as long as possible so as to allow the openly seditious, the anti-social behaviour, protests, criminal activities, to destabilise as much as possible this administration."

"Why would the PNC want a dialogue with the Government that in the very same breath they are calling on to be removed from office? Why would they want to initiate, why would they want to continue when they are bold enough to explain to the public their intention to have the government removed from office?"

"Surely the dialogue, as far as the PPP/C is concerned, is not to discuss its removal from office and therefore in the context of the demand for the removal from office of the PPP/C administration by the PNC, you could now understand why they are intractably opposed to having the dialogue restarted," Luncheon said.