Presidential debates… PSC expresses disappointment in political parties’ inability to compromise

Apr 25, 2015 News

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has expressed disappointment in the fact that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) are unable to negotiate amicable grounds for the holding of Presidential debates.
The Commission is of the opinion that while both political parties are sticking to its guns and holding out for the conditions under which each is willing to participate in the debates; Guyana is being starved of a golden opportunity to witness such debates.
The PSC yesterday hosted a press conference to discuss the conduct of political parties during the election period. This was held at the Commission’s Waterloo Street headquarters.
Speaking at that forum, PSC Chairman Ramesh Persaud, said, that PPP/C’s decision not to partake in Prime Ministerial debates should not be basis for no debates to be held at all.
He explained that the PSC volunteered to host the Presidential debates and organize all aspects of it, but was confronted with a request to also facilitate a Prime Ministerial Candidate debate.
However, the incumbent PPP/C said that it is only prepared to participate in Presidential debates, While, APNU+AFC is not willing to partake in Presidential debates unless it is preceded by Prime Ministerial debates.
Persaud opined that PPP/C’s decision not to partake in Prime Ministerial debates is not reason enough for the APNU+AFC coalition to decide not to participate in any debates at all.
He said this even as he acknowledged that the Prime Ministerial debates are indeed important and should be held.
Persaud told the media that the PSC has put all arrangements in place to have the debates and is ready to move ahead with as soon as the political parties meet a compromise. In fact, Persaud said that the PSC can host the debates the very next day after the PPP/C and the coalition decides to move forward.
Kaieteur News questioned Persaud as to whether the PSC tried to mediate talks between the two Parties with an aim to arrive at a compromise to which he responded in the affirmative. He however, told media operatives that despite real efforts on the part of the PSC, both parties continue to maintain a firm hold on their positions.
Further, Persaud stated that the gridlock over the debates does not augur well for the future relationship between the two parties if an agreement cannot be met on such a simple issue. He said this concerns him, particularly as to what it means for future compromise on other topics after elections.
He said that he pointed this out to both parties, but it was not enough to shift any of the parties’ position.
Other PSC officials also weighed in on the issue. Eddie Boyer, Vice Chairman of the PSC said that both parties owe it to the Guyanese people to have the debates and Kit Nascimento concluded that the opposition’s position to have double or nothing is unreasonable.

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Presidential debates… PSC expresses disappointment in political parties’ inability to compromise

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