-party mulling date for campaign launch
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) yesterday stated its preparedness for national elections following the announcement by President Irfaan Ali on Sunday of September 1st as Election Day.
PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton stated that the timing of the polls aligned with the party’s expectations.
“We have always been prepared for elections,” Norton told Stabroek News. “We anticipated that they were going to call an election at a time that suits them. So, we have always been and will continue to be in preparation.”
Norton said that the PNCR has maintained an ongoing state of readiness, implying that the newly set date for the General and Regional Elections does not necessitate a sudden shift in their operational strategy. While emphasizing the party’s continuous groundwork, Norton noted that the specific launch date for their election campaign remains under internal deliberation.
President Ali at the 59th Independence Flag Raising Ceremony held in Berbice announced that General and Regional elections will be held on September 1st. Shortly after the president’s announcement, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Bharrat Jagdeo in a statement welcomed the announcement.
“As the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), I am proud to say that we are ready to deliver our message of continued progress to the people of Guyana in the upcoming election campaign,” Jagdeo said in the statement.
Addressing inquiries about the status of discussions with the Alliance For Change (AFC), Norton yesterday reiterated the PNCR’s willingness to explore collaborative avenues. “You know, I’ve said before that we haven’t closed the door on any partnerships,” he affirmed.
In April, the self-imposed deadline for talks elapsed with no consensus as the AFC is adamant that it was not going to a general election with Norton as the presidential candidate. The two parties announced that the timeframe they had set had expired but that talks would continue.
However, sources yesterday told Stabroek News that the negotiations are not likely to yield any results as neither side is budging from their stance on the presidential candidate.
“There will be no coalition between the AFC and the PNC, unless maybe there is a breakaway faction of the AFC that joins with the PNC. The PNC has said that its candidate is Aubrey Norton and he himself cannot change that position because the party voted for him and passed a resolution that dictates how the presidential candidate is chosen. Nobody wants to say they are withdrawing [from talks] so you will have to wait until one side breaks,” one source said.
“Just know that even if Norton doesn’t want to be [presidential candidate], he cannot unilaterally choose a person with the AFC either because the party [PNC] has to decide on the candidate. So from the PNC’s position it is moot…” the source added.
Norton, another source added, has “been very, very facilitating of the AFC but they are making unreasonable demands because they do not want a coalition.”
Another source close to both sides echoed that right now both seem to understand that there will be no headway and are waiting for an announcement. “For you… to understand what is happening you have to understand the genesis of how the talks started. The AFC never wanted a coalition and its NEC (National Executive Committee) and members voted to go alone. The coalition talks were forced upon it and …to allay the doubts of its supporters the negotiators have to show that they can better 2015 [the Cummingsburg Accord]. They know they can’t… it’s why we are here.”
One of the lead negotiators yesterday told Stabroek News that he himself was not sure what the way forward is. “I’m really not sure, but neither side has moved to formally declare talks as being over, which suggests that the door remains open. In the meantime, both are expected to continue their preparations for elections. I have no doubt that many third parties will try to mediate and broker a compromise. Time will tell”, the source said.
The two parties are hoping to rekindle what they achieved in 2015 when they formed an unlikely coalition and unseated the governing PPP/C. Then, they had agreed after gruelling talks that the PNCR’s David Granger would be the presidential candidate and Moses Nagamootoo of the AFC would be Prime Minister. In 2015, the PNCR was part of the umbrella grouping – A Partnership for National Unity.
Lustre was lost from the last coalition after supporters of the grouping were accused of attempting to rig the 2020 elections with both sides buffeted by criticism over this.
While AFC Leader Nigel Hughes has said he is willing to step aside for a consensus candidate, and businessman Terrence Campbell’s name has been floated, the PNCR has not officially proposed any alternative candidates. Campbell himself has stated that he has not been approached but would accept the position if both Norton and Hughes supported him.
A source close to the talks noted that both parties acknowledge the importance of coalition unity. “There is a belief on both sides that the people want something and someone different from the traditional approach. That is what prompted Mr. Hughes to say he is prepared to excuse himself from being the leader of the ticket in the interest of unity and to work wherever he is needed most,” the source explained.
While it is seen as a longshot for a PNCR/AFC coalition to upturn the PPP/C at this year’s elections, contesting separately is widely viewed as likely to end in a major defeat particularly for the PNCR which has been riven by internal conflicts and defections. Without the umbrella of an alliance, there are also concerns in its camp that the AFC could have its worst showing since it stormed to five seats in the 2006 general elections.
