The Leader of the Opposition & PNCR, Mr. Robert Corbin, in a televised address on March 31st, 2004 declared that his Party “will NOT engage President (Bharrat) Jagdeo in any further bi-lateral discussions save and except those required under the constitution,” thus bringing to an end this important element of the Constructive Engagement process.
The PNCR has played its familiar trick again, holding dialogue at the national political level hostage with the aim of extracting more concessions out of the Government as part of attempts to catapult it into power without facing the electorate. The Guyanese people are no fools!
The same ploy took place in 2002 when the late Mr. Desmond Hoyte suspended the dialogue process on March 15, the day after his Party boycotted the presentations of the National Budget. The months that followed saw politically-inspired criminal violence and disruption including the storming of the Office of the President complex on July 3, 2002.
Mr. Corbin’s lengthy speech on television cannot cover up the dismal record of the PNCR while in office. And, more so its irresponsible and, at times, destructive conduct as the main opposition party. The pledges to make Guyana “ungovernable” and overt calls for the removal of the Government are well remembered. This latest statement of Mr. Corbin seeks to portray the PNCR as reasonable and the PPP/C administration as unreasonable in dealing with various national issues and in its conduct in the earlier `Dialogue Process’ and the more recent `Constructive Engagement Process.’ The administration record is available for all Guyanese to seek and make their own judgment. The independent monitoring group comprising all stakeholders including the donor community, can testify to the `significant’ progress made in implementing the agreements made under the Constructive Engagement process.
The people of Guyana recognize the tremendous accommodation made by the PPP/C regarding the concerns of the PNCR. These include the shortening of the government’s term; constitutional reform process; and the implementation of the raft of provisions to enhance inclusive governance in Guyana. The PPP/C policy paper: `Towards Greater Inclusive Governance in Guyana’ was put on the agenda of the Constructive Engagement process by President Jagdeo. The positions contained in this document have been seen as workable steps to achieving genuine political cooperation in Guyana.
The Government of Guyana recognises and appreciates the importance of the private sector, religious community, trades unions and the entire civil society in nation building. This is reflected in the numerous on-going consultations and interactions which have been taking place at the highest level in Government – the Presidency. The Government urges these groups not to be misled into participating in another sham of the PNCR to catapult itself into power outside of the ballot box under the guise of concerns about the system of Governance.
The Government will, at a future date, issue a comprehensive response to those and other issues raised by Mr. Corbin as well as its own position on moving forward with its commitment to engage the political opposition, civil society, religious organizations and all strata of the Guyanese society.