Guyana opposition unites to contest elections
The Guyana opposition parties, excluding the Alliance for Change (AFC), have joined together as a group – named “A Partnership of National Unity” (APNU), to contest the next General Elections expected in a few months. here is a report on this development:
GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Monday June 27, 2011 – The incumbent People’s Progressive Party will be up against an opposition coalition when the 2011 presidential and legislative elections are held.
The group, uniting under the banner of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), includes the Guyana Action Party (GAP), the National Front Alliance (NFA), the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), and the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), with the Guyana’s People Partnership, (GPP) expected to join.
They have named the PNCR’s presidential candidate, David Granger, to lead the opposition partnership.
“To demonstrate our commitment to national unity and to fulfill the requirements of the Election Laws of Guyana, the members of A Partnership For National Unity will contest the 2011 General and Regional Elections as a single united List of Candidates with: a common symbol; a consensus Presidential Candidate, Mr. David Arthur Granger; a single Representative and a single Deputy Representative of the List of Candidates; an agreed Electoral Platform; and, a unified campaign organisation and management,” APNU said.
The formal launch of the coalition will take place on July 8, followed by several other activities across the country, and culminating with a mass rally in the capital on July 29 before its election campaign is accelerated.
“APNU will soon after its launch identify and announce the candidates who would be put forward for the various Lists required for the General and Regional Elections,” the group said.
A leadership core led by the presidential candidate and consisting of four nominees, one from each of the member parties of the Joint Opposition Political Parties, is in the process of being established and will be announced at the formal launch.
The coalition has invited other political parties, civic organisations and individual citizens, to join the opposition under the APNU umbrella.
“We hope that by the date of the official launch, we would be in a position to announce additional members,” it said. (Caribbean 360)
