Skip to main content

FM
Former Member

Both APNU and the AFC appear anxious to amend the Cummingsburg Accord allegedly on the ground that the reality of political office has clashed with the Accord’s constitutionality. A series of interviews over the past two weeks given by President Granger and Prime Minister Nagamootoo suggest that a review of the Accord is underway.

The Cummingburg Accord has two limbs. The first is the number of seats in parliament and ministries in government that each constituent party would be assigned. This apparently went off smoothly. The second limb provides for the more substantive core of the relationship between the parties, namely, the division of responsibility in the management of the government. The Prime Minister was expected to chair the Cabinet and be responsible for domestic affairs except national security while the President would be responsible for foreign affairs and national security.

 

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has not been given the responsibilities of chairing the Cabinet or of exercising responsibility for domestic affairs. The contents of Minister Harmon’s regular engagements with the press suggest that domestic affairs reside with him and/or the President. In excusing the failure to observe the terms of the Accord, both President Granger and Prime Minister Nagamootoo indicate that there is no dispute arising from the failure to implement the Accord. They pointed to potential violation of the Constitution if the terms of the Accord are fully implemented.

There is and would be no violation of the Constitution if the terms of the Accord are implemented. Various articles of the Constitution allow the President to appoint others to execute his responsibilities. (See “The Cummingsburg Accord does not collide with the Constitution” by M. Maxwell in SN 24.06.15). The President can delegate the purely nominal function of chairing the Cabinet while he is present. The Prime Minister can take charge of domestic affairs in an advisory capacity to the President. The flimsy excuse of constitutional violation is an attempt at a power play by APNU. Supported by a surprisingly subservient AFC, it is not a good sign.

In any event, APNU and AFC are not free to amend the Accord. They are only two parties to the document. The electorate is the third party. It contains the basic terms of their post elections collaboration on the basis of which the electorate supported the coalition. The electorate understood that the AFC would have a distinct, decisive and visible management role in the affairs of governance through the Prime Minister. If the parties now wish to unilaterally tamper with this and consign the AFC, even with its unwise consent, to a vague and amorphous, consultative position, the parties should not be surprised if bitter fruits are harvested five years down the road from the same electorate, their third partner, that they have deceived. If that happens, this is where it would have all begun.

Having regard to the high turnout of voters, the percentage of votes obtained by the PPP/C, the votes received by the AFC in 2011 and the numbers at their meetings, there is no reason to suggest that the PNC obtained more than its usual forty one to forty two percent at the elections. The AFC therefore contributed eight to nine percent of the votes to the victory of the coalition. There could have been no coalition victory without the AFC. Five years from now there would be no coalition victory without the AFC, if the AFC loses its identity and individuality in the governance structure and operations, an individuality which it would never be able to retrieve as a political party with a distinct voice and appeal.

One of the major factors in the AFC sustaining its vote from 2011 was the maintenance of its independent character and campaign strategy, its promise of a fresh approach and youth empowerment. Had it been submerged under APNU, disaffected PPP and PNCR/APNU supporters would not have had the opportunity to identify with a political party other than APNU. Just as how the AFC attracted support by maintaining a clear and distinct presence and individuality in the election campaign, so it needs to maintain an independent political existence and defined authority within the coalition in order to sustain and even expand its support. The Cummingsburg Accord clearly intended to enable the AFC to do this. We do not know the reason that has caused the AFC to lose sight of these realities, or to appear so anxious to be willing to sacrifice the fundamental core of the Accord. This will prove to be its undoing and that of the coalition.

There is no doubt that President Granger is facing enormous pressures from within his own party. All the signs are there. But he has to lead from the front. He cannot succumb to the political culture of dominance spawned by a history of ethnic politics, which the coalition has promised to destroy by the very Accord that it now seeks to defang because it disallows the perpetuation of the culture. President Granger must inculcate in his supporters that APNU alone did not win the elections. They must understand that without the AFC there would have been no President Granger.

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Interesting comment from Ramkarran

 

 

"President Granger must inculcate in his supporters that APNU alone did not win the elections. They must understand that without the AFC there would have been no President Granger."

FM

Agree with Ram Karran, and Maxwell who said the same thing earlier.

 

Granger and PNC's reneging on the Accord means they are heading for a 1-term govt, unless they intend to install Alexander as GECOM chief and try to go back to its old rigging methods.

 

The failure to follow through is nothing short of wicked and AFC leaders are trying to be polite at this time.

 

They will get trashed at LGE.  Granger better reverse course NOW and honor the accord.

 

WE voted for change not exchange

FM

From the getgo, the coalition was a sham. The die hard PNC will minimize the AFCs influence. However, we still need to give them time to work out the kinks and make our judgments later,,,although we see signs of a diminished AFC within the coalition.

V

I agree with most of Ramkarran's analysis.  However, I think when people voted for the coalition they entrusted their votes to the leaders for them to do whatever they see is the best for Guyana.  I for one did not sit and read the manifesto before I supported them.  I think the AFC is fairly represented in the government.  The AFC leaders seems to be comfortable so why not the people who voted for them?

FM

Because people voted for them based on the announced assurances.

You don't want people to feel betrayed and don't trust politicians ever again? Do we?

 

People did not want a Coalition, but reluctantly supported because of the very assurances in the Accord that the AFC PM will run the cabinet.

FM
Originally Posted by Jay Bharrat:

Because people voted for them based on the announced assurances.

You don't want people to feel betrayed and don't trust politicians ever again? Do we?

 

People did not want a Coalition, but reluctantly supported because of the very assurances in the Accord that the AFC PM will run the cabinet.

How many people voted so that Moses could chair the cabinet?  How many knew of this nuance?  What was well know is the 12 MP and 40% share of the cabinet which they got.

FM

VVP makes a lot of sense. It's the performance that counts and the Granger and Nagamootoo partnership that counts. Who cares about a bean-counter approach to the spoils of election victory?! The APNU-AFC coalition has its 60-40 split of Ministers (junior Ministers don't count). Look for Commissions and Boards structure for more import.

 

Y'all wasting time about who got what and whether Moses has been neutered and so on. Have you noticed how this new government is going about its business - no drama Guyana.

Kari
Originally Posted by Kari:

VVP makes a lot of sense. It's the performance that counts and the Granger and Nagamootoo partnership that counts. Who cares about a bean-counter approach to the spoils of election victory?! The APNU-AFC coalition has its 60-40 split of Ministers (junior Ministers don't count). Look for Commissions and Boards structure for more import.

 

Y'all wasting time about who got what and whether Moses has been neutered and so on. Have you noticed how this new government is going about its business - no drama Guyana.

It is difficult to notice because they have done so little. Nothing is done about the crime situation. The economy has slowed down. They think that governing means going after the supporters of the PPP. Sure, it is important that they address corruption issues. But, the programmes they promised need to be implemented. additionally, it is not just a matter of who gets what. It is about what they told the Guyanese people who used those promises to vote for them and whether they are keeping those promises. Now, they are trying to spin why the Accord cannot be implemented fully. If they did not know this prior to now, then they do not have the requisite knowledge to run the government.

Z
Originally Posted by Jay Bharrat:

The APNU-AFC coalition has its 60-40 split of Ministers (junior Ministers don't count).

 

So why shouldn't junior ministers count?

they are not members of cabinet

 

is your head that hard?

 

smfh

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Originally Posted by Zed:
It is difficult to notice because they have done so little. Nothing is done about the crime situation. The economy has slowed down. They think that governing means going after the supporters of the PPP. Sure, it is important that they address corruption issues. But, the programmes they promised need to be implemented. additionally, it is not just a matter of who gets what. It is about what they told the Guyanese people who used those promises to vote for them and whether they are keeping those promises. Now, they are trying to spin why the Accord cannot be implemented fully. If they did not know this prior to now, then they do not have the requisite knowledge to run the government.

the new gov't is effectively in office only about 40 days!

 

there is no budget for crying out loud!

 

prancing antiman, wtf are you whining about, eh?

 

smfh

 

[your anti-Guyana, overriding concern rooted in protecting PPP tiefman is noted]

FM

The AFC knew what they were getting into. How many times it was told that a vote for the AFC is a vote for the PNC.   The AFC made their bed, now they must lie in it.   Ramkarran should stop cry like a baby.

Let the chips fall where they may....

R
Originally Posted by Jay Bharrat:

The APNU-AFC coalition has its 60-40 split of Ministers (junior Ministers don't count).

 

So why shouldn't junior ministers count?

 

 

Junior ministers have a role of assisting to implement policy set by cabinet, as agreed to by the Ministry of the Presidency.  Junior ministers have to abide by policies set by the senior minister in charge of the ministry.  Face it.  Junior ministry are mainly selected to reward certain individuals =who lack the ability to be a full fledged minister.

 

Now describe situations when Ashni said "A" and Edghill said "B", and was listened to.   You cannot, no quit your ceaseless yapping that junior ministers matter.  They are glorified Permanent Secretaries.

FM

This coalition gov't. is already under fire from critics. Could you imagine Freddie Kissoon and Ralph Ramkarran are now sounding the alarm bells?

Trouble ahead. Lots of trouble ahead. Brace yourselves!  Pressure mek pipe bust.

Billy Ram Balgobin

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×