Jagdeo says breakdown of APNU/AFC coalition talks a ‘tragedy’

The coalition talks between APNU and AFC have collapsed, and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, described this situation as a “tragedy.”

“Behind all the clownishness and this confusion, there is a tragedy.

“…. (It’s) total confusion in the APNU AFC camps… they really don’t have much to offer Guyanese,” Jagdeo said on Thursday at his weekly press conference.

This week, there was a desperate attempt by the Alliance for Change (AFC) to get back into coalition talks with the APNU Coalition, of which the People’s National Congress (PNC) is the only substantial party.

Reeling from shock after three of its Parliamentarians walked out the door without a word and crossed over to APNU, the AFC scrambled Wednesday to address the issue and the rejection of its efforts at a Coalition. After its demand to choose its presidential candidate Nigel Hughes was blanked, the AFC decided to bargain for a chance to choose the Prime Ministerial Candidate, but that suggestion, along with all others, was quickly dumped by the Aubrey Norton-led APNU.

Jagdeo continued his weekly diatribe against the two parties, again stating that they seemed to be focused more on sharing the spoils after elections instead of coming up with a cohesive plan for governance.

“In politics, it’s about bringing people to your vision, it’s about convincing people that your vision and your plans and your life could be of benefit to them,” he explained.

He contrasted these actions to those of the PPP’s, opining that his party has been able to clearly articulate a vision for development and demonstrate how it is working to achieve that vision.