Acceptance as Opposition Leader is ipso facto recognition of Irfaan Ali as President

Dear Editor,
This charade of Joseph Harmon’s utterances of not recognising HE President Irfaan Ali as the duly elected Head of State has ultimately run its course. The mere fact that Harmon officially accepted the title and office as the Leader of the Opposition is tantamount to accepting the fact that President Ali is the Head of State of our Republic. As Opposition Leader, who really is Harmon opposing? It cannot be a mythical figure. We do have a President in HE Irfaan Ali. So, if you really examine both sides of this standoff with Harmon not recognising Ali as President and Ali not engaging Harmon until he recognises him as President, you cannot help but conclude that it is all about grandstanding and gamesmanship. Both of them, by acceptance of their respective official titles, ipso facto recognise each other’s constitutional roles.
I guess the gamesmanship was necessary since each has to pander to their constituency in bolstering their image of being the ultimate strongman and relentless fighter.
Well, unless they have not been reading the tea leaves, the majority of Opposition and Government supporters are no longer hyped up about the elections shenanigans since the flashpoint has long passed and the courts are dealing with the miscreants. People in general want to see the Government implementing its policies and robust monitoring by the Opposition. We all want to see the Government’s business moving on, particularly in the areas that require consultations and recommendations between the President and the Leader of the Opposition.
We need to appoint the various Commissions such as the Procurement, Judicial, Local Government, Integrity etc. The long outstanding issue of confirmation of the Chancellor and Chief Justice is a dark stain on our collective ability to self-govern.
It is time the President and Opposition leader exhibit political maturity and show some enlightened leadership, this political grandstanding is no longer cute.

Yours sincerely,
Reggie Bhagwandin