President Dr Irfaan Ali is expected to meet with the country’s new Opposition Leader, according to Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.
During a press conference on today, Jagdeo explained that there are a number of constitutional commissions that are yet to be reinstated and require consultation between the President and the Opposition Leader.
“There’s several commissions now that we anticipate before the end of February, that the President will meet with the Leader of the Opposition, if, by then, there’s a new Leader of the Opposition,” the Vice President explained.
Among the constitutional bodies are the Police Service Commission, Public Service Commission, the Teaching Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission and the Integrity Commission.
With Joseph Harmon stepping down as Opposition Leader amid much internal pressure from his political grouping, the APNU/AFC is yet to select his replacement.
President Ali and Harmon have never met for talks. According to Jagdeo, the Head of State was “misquoted” on his remarks regarding meetings with the country’s Opposition Leader.
“I think the President was misquoted as saying that he did not want to meet with the Leader of the Opposition…the question was posed to him about engagements with the Leader of the Opposition and he said until there is an acknowledgement that this is a legitimately elected government, there is no room for that engagement to move forward,” Jagdeo explained.
However, he added that, “he [the President] made it very clear that in his constitutional role, where mandated by the Constitution to have to consult with the Leader of the Opposition, he was going to discharge his responsibility.”
APNU’s Nicolette Henry has since resigned as an Opposition Parliamentarian – a move which paves the way for PNC Leader Aubrey Norton to assume a seat in the National Assembly.
Norton, who recently won the leadership of the PNC by a landslide victory, believes he should be the country’s Opposition Leader.
