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Former U.S President Jimmy Carter intervenes…Pushes for Govt., Opposition political discussions
…Oil and gas, among issues likely for agenda
Head of the Carter Center, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, has reached out to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo and President David Granger in an effort to get the Government and Opposition to hold discussions on critical issues of national importance.
Plans for the intended political discussions appeared to have stalled because the Opposition was opposed to Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo leading the Government’s delegation.
Jagdeo told reporters yesterday that he received a call last week from President Carter who was under the impression that the President was inclined to have talks with the PPP.
According to Jagdeo, President Carter was of the belief that the PPP did not like Nagamootoo, but this was not the case.
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo
President David Granger
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter
“I pointed out to President Carter it was not Nagamootoo that was the issue. It was our concern that Nagamootoo does not have any portfolio. He is a lightweight in the Government and he will not be able to commit the APNU (A Partnership for National Unity or the PNC (People’s National Congress) to anything at the meeting. I went through what the elements of his portfolio are,” Jagdeo stated.
According to Jagdeo, Nagamootoo’s role in the upcoming discussions was raised with President Granger when the two met yesterday at State House to discuss appointees for the Police and Public Service Commissions.
Jagdeo stated that the President has agreed to now lead the Government’s team.
Additionally, Jagdeo said that the areas for discussions identified by President Granger were crime, the environment and the oil and gas sector. However, the Opposition is likely to push for other topics to be added to the agenda.
Even with the assurances from the President, the Opposition has not yet committed to enter the discussions.
“I undertook to have a discussion with the party so we will decide whether we will engage in this and whether we want to add issues to the agenda. However, somehow the international community was under the impression, including President Carter and the others that they (Government) had preferred to talk about Governance and Constitutional reform and we had rejected it. But from the topics that the President himself proposed, you will see that that was never the intention,” Jagdeo noted.
Jagdeo was asked about the Opposition adding constitutional and electoral reform to the agenda, but said he could not commit without first holding discussions with the party.
Carter through his centre has played a pivotal role in Guyana’s politics for decades and was part of an electoral observer mission here at the 2015 General and Regional elections. He left before Election Day after falling ill.
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