The governing A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) are expected to meet this week to iron out several issues as the two decide to contest this year’s Local Government Elections (LGE) together.
In an invited comment on Wednesday, Chairman of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan told reporters that the parties have to “trash out a number of issues, preferably it will be in relation to candidacies, candidates and a number of other things.”
He alluded to recent developments at the level of the City Council.
At its last municipal elections, APNU captured both positions of Mayor and Deputy Mayor, a change from previous years where the AFC Councillors, Sherod Duncan and Lionel Jaikaran copped the Deputy Mayor position.
The last election also occurred during a time when the AFC opposed contracts being undertaken by the council over lack of transparency and even submitted a no-confidence motion against Town Clerk, Royston King.
“We’ve seen an unfortunate development in the municipality and we indicated that the attitude of especially the Town Clerk has left a lot of things bothering us,” Ramjattan said, as he implied that it is one of the issues which will be discussed by the parties.
He told reporters that a letter was sent to the leader of the APNU, David Granger.
“I think there will be some developments this week,” he said.
The Chairman, however, made it clear that what is transpiring at the level of the City Council is not indicative of the relationship between the coalition parties.
He said the developments at the level of the council are “personality clashes” which is not something new.
‘“We [APNU + AFC] have a tremendously cordial relationship that highest level. I have a very good relationship with the President and his entire team and it’s not reflective of any kind of relationship…as happens in the municipality,” he noted.
At the 2016 LGE, the AFC raised several concerns as it relates to the number of seats given to the party at the level of various councils. However, it was found at the time that the Cummingsburg Accord which brought the parties together does not cater for seats or address issues at the Local Elections level.
The Accord provides for a review after three years which was reached on February 14, 2018, at which time the President said it is up to the AFC to initiate discussions for a review.
