The Alliance For Change (AFC) selection of Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjattan as the prime ministerial candidate in the upcoming elections may not be accepted by the party’s coalition partner, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) regardless of the AFC maintaining that it has already determined he would be given that post.
Caretaker President David Granger
Granger on Thursday told reporters that Ramjattan has not been given the green light by APNU and the prime ministerial candidacy would be determined after negotiations between the two parties.
“The APNU and the AFC are now discussing the Cummingsburg Accord of 2015 and this is one of the issues that will have to be discussed. But I cannot say now who I will be running with,” Granger said.
In fact, it is uncertain if the Prime Minister (PM) candidate slot will be granted to the AFC in the elections slated for March 2, 2020. When asked if the PM candidate would be selected from the AFC, President Granger noted: “It is not prudent to anticipate the outcome of negotiations.”
However, Granger confirmed that APNU and the AFC were currently reviewing the 2015 Cummingsburg Accord and were working to produce a “revised” Accord for the 2020 elections.
“The major aspect is that the two groups, the APNU and the AFC, should abide by the Constitution of Guyana. That is the principal foundation of any agreement, nothing in the Accord should collide with the Constitution … but no names (for AFC PM candidate) as yet.”
Earlier this week, Ramjattan had told the media that he remained confident in his supporters ensuring that he was formally declared the Prime Ministerial Candidate in the upcoming elections, regardless of the fact that APNU had not endorsed him to date.
After Ramjattan’s selection as the AFC’s prime ministerial candidate-in-waiting a few months ago, Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson had intimated that APNU was duty-bound to accept Ramjattan as President Granger’s running mate as long as the Cummingsburg Accord was in effect.
The major party in APNU, the People’s National Congress (PNC) has shown a dogged preference for the incumbent, Moses Nagamootoo. This has manifested in APNU officials making public statements in support of the Prime Minister.
PNC heavyweight and Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence had stated publicly that while the AFC has elected Ramjattan as its next prime ministerial candidate, APNU and the AFC have not met on this new development.
