By Travis Chase | HGP Nightly News |
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — The first round of formal bilateral talks between Guyana’s two main parliamentary opposition groups concluded on Monday without addressing the substantive disputes that triggered the meeting.
Meeting for over an hour at the Brandsville Suites in Section ‘K’ Campbellville, delegations from We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) bypassed discussions on the Local Government Commission (LGC), opposition representation at GECOM, and the Region Ten leadership impasse, focusing instead on drafting the foundational rules and framework to govern future engagements.
Key Agendas Deferred for Procedural Ground Rules
The high-level dialogue was arranged after APNU publicly objected to the Opposition Leader’s submissions to President Dr. Irfaan Ali for appointments to the Local Government Commission, where APNU’s recommended nominees were omitted.
While WIN had subsequently proposed expanding the agenda to include the status of the three opposition-nominated GECOM Commissioners, field registration scrutineers, and the election of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman for the Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) RDC, both sides agreed to set aside the contentious items during the initial session:
- No Substantive Deals Yet: Opposition Leader and WIN Leader Azruddin Mohamed confirmed following the meeting that the teams did not negotiate the specifics of the LGC nominees or the electoral machinery.
- Focus on Structural Framework: Delegates prioritized establishing terms of reference, communication protocols, and joint working committees before entering into bilateral deal-making.
“We had no discussions on the Local Government Commission or the issues surrounding GECOM during this session,” Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed stated post-meeting. “The focus was establishing how we engage and move forward systematically.”
Both Parties Affirm Value of Initial Encounter
Representatives from both sides rejected assertions that deferring the headline disputes rendered the meeting unproductive.
- WIN’s Position: WIN Member of Parliament Odessa Primus maintained that establishing ground rules is an essential prerequisite for sustainable cooperation across parliamentary and local government affairs.
- APNU’s Position: APNU Chairman Aubrey Norton described the discussions as cordial and constructive, noting that both political forces reached an agreement in principle to establish a structured approach before addressing substantive issues.
- National Responsibility: APNU Member of Parliament Dr. David Hinds noted that the party views the inter-party dialogue as an essential responsibility to ensure effective parliamentary opposition and hold the executive accountable.
High-Level Delegations in Attendance
The inaugural session featured senior leaders and legal representatives from both political parties:
- WIN Delegation: Led by Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, alongside Opposition Chief Whip Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, and Members of Parliament Odessa Primus, Natasha Singh, Vishnu Panday, and Duarte Hetsberger.
- APNU Delegation: Led by APNU Chairman Aubrey Norton, accompanied by Members of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul, Dexter Todd, Coretta McDonald, and Dr. David Hinds, alongside PNC/R General Secretary Sherwin Benjamin, Attorney-at-Law Ronald Daniels, and Regional Councillor Shanika Haynes.
Both sides are expected to announce the date and working agenda for their second round of engagements in the coming days.
