THE Office of the President is calling on the main Opposition People's National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) to respond to the real needs of the Guyanese people and cease its intransigence.
This was reported by Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, at his weekly news conference yesterday.
In rejecting efforts by Leader of the Opposition and PNC/R, Mr. Robert Corbin, to belittle the achievements of the dialogue between the two sides, the Office of the President has acknowledged that there was still unfinished business, including the issue of the local government process, he said.
"Like (the late) Mr. Hoyte, Mr. Corbin had to find a reason to justify the PNC/R’s intransigence" on the dialogue process, Luncheon contended.
He further charged that the `Death Squad’ issue provides such an excuse with the PNC/R demanding the resignation of the Home Affairs Minister and an inquiry into the matter and maintaining that unless this was done, the dialogue would be aborted.
Luncheon pointed out that the government's principled position on the matter was "deemed unacceptable by the PNC/R."
"In the same breath, Mr. Corbin invites and encourages other social forces to be a part of the process of national dialogue with the governing PPP/C, most of whom are already engaged in fulfilling roles arising from implementation of agreements made in the communiqué," he said.
Luncheon said these include the Disciplined Forces, parliamentary political parties, trade unions, religious bodies, the private sector, Local Democratic Organs and non-governmental organisations.
"What Mr. Corbin offers is more tricks, to raise the tension, organise more anti-government sentiments and ignore/deny responsibilities for the consequences," he contended.
President Bharrat Jagdeo has reiterated his openness on the issue of dialogue with Corbin.
Responding at a news conference last week to the recent announcement by Corbin that he was pulling out of the dialogue, the President said he did not want to get involved in rhetoric because the Guyanese people have become fed up with talk that is not backed by action.
He indicated that he would be issuing a response in due course to the announcement by Corbin.
Referring to the call by the Opposition Leader to widen the scope of the dialogue, the President said he had an open mind with respect to the process.
A communiqué was signed on May 6, 2003, by President Jagdeo and Corbin ushering in the resumption of the dialogue process which was put on pause by Corbin’s predecessor, the late Mr. Desmond Hoyte.
The communiqué falls within the ambit of the reformed Constitution in terms of inclusiveness and participation of the Opposition in the administering of the affairs of the country.
It seeks to give immediate effect to many of the provisions and agreements in the St. Lucia Statement and the Herdmanston Accord.