APNU goes alone in Parliament as WIN unresponsive to calls for unified opposition

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) had been hopeful that the opposition parties could present a united front in the National Assembly; however, the party’s Chief Whip Ganesh Mahipaul said talks with the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party have not materialised.

As such, Mahipaul explained in a statement, APNU will go alone in Parliament and has identified its shadow ministers to guarantee adequate representation.

The APNU Chief Whip said his party asked him to engage WIN so the parties could collaborate in Parliament to effectively hold the governing People’s Progressive Civic (PPP/C) Administration accountable. However, Mahipaul said there was a mere telephone discussion and no substantive workplan has been developed though months have gone by.

Consequently, APNU has abandoned hopes of partnering with WIN. The newly-formed WIN party managed to secure more votes and seats in Parliament than the PNC-led APNU; the People’s National Congress Reform has been a major player in Guyana’s governance in the post-Independence era.

Mahipaul said APNU will no longer waste its time pursuing such engagements.

“We will continue to be disposed to working with other opposition forces. Hopefully WIN sees the wisdom of working together . The only thing Azurdin seems to be interested in right now is to protect himself from his legal jeopardy and selectively exposing some of the wrongdoings of the PPP/C that he was part and parcel of, and facilitated when the friendship was strong. In the circumstance, he is best advised to continue to sing like a canary but also realise that being a MP requires lots more,” Mahipaul said in the statement.