HGP NIGHTLY NEWS – Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo may be calling for greater engagement between Guyana’s two traditional political rivals, but senior PNCR figures are not rushing to embrace the overture. They say political courtesies surrounding Robert Corbin’s passing should not be mistaken for a new alliance.
Senior figures within the People’s National Congress Reform are pushing back against suggestions of a political realignment with the PPP/C, following Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo’s recent appeal for greater engagement between Guyana’s two longstanding political rivals.
Jagdeo made the overture during a memorial event for late former PNCR Leader Robert Corbin, but several opposition figures have since cautioned against reading too much into the exchange.
Opposition Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul said courtesies extended during a period of bereavement should not be mistaken for any change in the PNCR’s political principles or independence.
Instead, Mahipaul urged supporters to remain focused on rebuilding and strengthening the party as it prepares for future elections.
Opposition MP Sherod Duncan also responded cautiously, arguing that any genuine willingness by the Government to cooperate with the opposition should ultimately be demonstrated through its actions in the National Assembly.
Veteran PNCR figure Vincent Alexander went further, questioning the sincerity of Jagdeo’s overture.
Alexander argued that genuine political collaboration requires trust and pointed to what he described as the PPP/C’s previous rejection of Corbin’s efforts to advance shared governance.
The responses suggest that despite the conciliatory tone surrounding Corbin’s passing, longstanding political divisions between the PPP/C and PNCR remain firmly in place.
