Turns out that the Jackass PNC were also guilty of boycotting the flag raising ceremony during the PPP tenure:
An excerpt from Ricky Singh's article in 2003 :
http://www.landofsixpeoples.com/news301/nc30223.htm
Nevertheless, let it be said that the "strategic retreat" was itself a welcome development in this early post-Desmond Hoyte period when Guyanese from all strata of society are anxious to see signs, across the political spectrum, for new initiatives that could offer hope to a severely traumatised people.
It would have been encouraging, for example, if the PNC/R had agreed to end its boycott of the national flag-raising ceremony and to participate in the Mashramani Float Parade.
However, since its boycott of parliament is to resume, and given the years of such negative politics, this would have been too radical a change. Yet, the current situation in the country seems to cry out for radical changes - on all sides, governing and opposition. Changes that are being hampered by too much self-righteousness.
If there is really to be an end to the current political impasse, the PNC/R would need to move away from the obsession by some within its ranks for executive power-sharing and concentrate on a pragmatic approach with the governing party to conflict resolutions.