| The government yesterday said that it is moving to refine its positions on various issues it wants discussed with the opposition in a Tripartite Initiative.The opposition parties, the Alliance for Change (AFC) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) have not yet submitted their representatives who will act as “High Representatives” in the initiative.The governing alliance, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has identified its High Representatives to be Gail Teixeira and Dr Roger Luncheon.The Opposition parties are yet to agree on who their High Representatives would be. In talks held thus far, APNU was represented by its Presidential Candidate, David Granger, and its Campaign Manager Joseph Harmon, while the AFC was represented by its Presidential Candidate Khemraj Ramjattan and four others.Yesterday, Dr Luncheon,Minnesota Twins Matt Belisle Jersey, Head of the Presidential Secretariat took several jabs at the opposition parties,Fernando Rodney Jersey, saying that their efforts to come together and confront the government was proving more difficult than they imagined.In the meantime,San Diego Padres Luis Sardinas Jersey, he said that the government is moving to refine its position on the issues it submitted for discussions.These include the Adoption of the Terms of Reference (TOR) for the Tripartite Initiative, the review of Value Added Tax (VAT) and the Tax System,Minnesota Twins Jason Castro Jersey, and Local Government reforms with a focus on holding Local Government elections this year.A meeting of the parties in the Tripartite Initiative which was slated to be held before the end of last week did not come off and the government has put the blame at the feet of the opposition parties.Luncheon had said that one of the issues that stalled the meeting was the “belated” submission by the opposition parties of lists of issues they wanted discuss and the failure of the parties to nominate “high representatives.”The governing PPP/C had expressed concern that the AFC and APNU are meeting together outside of the Tripartite Initiate, saying this was “inconsistent” with the reason for the setting up of the initiative.The AFC and the APNU have been meeting to agree on who they would like to be Speaker of the National Assembly. The AFC is sticking with Moses Nagamootoo, while the APNU has named Deborah Backer and Cammie Ramsaroop for the post.Deferral of the 10th Parliament this month was one of several issues agreed upon when representatives of the AFC and APNU met President Donald Ramotar on December 15.During the discussions,St. Louis Cardinals Brett Cecil Jersey, in which Luncheon,Atlanta Braves John Danks Jersey, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds,R.A. Dickey Jersey, and Presidential Adviser on Governance Gail Teixeira participated,Norichika Aoki Jersey, several issues were raised including a list of issues for discussion and prioritization for future meetings and two representatives nominated from APNU and AFC to work on identified and agreed on priority issues.It was also agreed that the Minister of Finance will meet with the two identified finance persons of the APNU and AFC in the near future to consult on the preparation of the 2012 Budget.“The meetings have been very useful. We have been very frank with each other. I hope to proceed working in that way,Jhoulys Chacin Jersey, in consulting with them in moving our country forward…,” President Ramotar said after the December 15 meeting.Ramotar won the presidency at the 2011 General and Regional Elections held on November 28 after the PPP/C captured 48.6 percent of the votes and secured 32 seats in the National Assembly.The opposition parties hold the majority of seats with APNU’s 26 and seven from the AFC. |
