Tag: WPA

Terrence Campbell will lead APNU slate in Parliament

Posted on by Kayleigh Carter

The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has confirmed that prominent businessman Terrence Campbell will be leading its 12-member minority opposition team in the National Assembly.
At a press conference today, party leader Aubrey Norton identified returning MPs Juretha Fernandes, Coretta McDonald, A.A., Ganesh Mahipaul, Nima Flue-Bess, Working People’s Alliance (WPA) member Dr. David Hinds, Riaz Zakeer Rupnarain, former Alliance for Change (AFC) member Sherod Duncan, Linden Mayor Sharma Solomon, attorney Dr. Dexter Todd, entrepreneur Saiku Andrews, and People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Vice-Chairman Vinceroy Jordan as those to occupy seats in this 13th Parliament.
Additionally, persons to represent the party at the regional level have also been identified, Norton stated.
The leader reiterated that he will not be heading to Parliament and announced further that he has no intention of running for the presidency in the future.
“As I said before I will not be returning to Parliament, but I will continue as leader of the People’s National Congress Reform. I will work to continue the rebuilding of the party,” Norton clarified. He said his job at this time is to out the mechanisms in place, “so that by the time we arrive at the next elections, we are well-structured, we will be ready and the new blood in the party will take over…”
With the We Invest In Nationhood (WIIN) party also preparing to take its place as the main opposition in the new Parliament, having won 16 seats at the election, Norton said the APNU is prepared to work with the party to ensure transparency and accountability in the affairs of the country. He said the party is committed to seeing integrity in public life.

WPA seeks bigger role in Coalition Government

Posted on by Kayleigh Carter

The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) has confirmed its partnership with the People’s National Congress (PNC), but is seeking a greater role in the governance structure should the parties contest and win the upcoming national elections.
This was made clear by WPA Executive Tacuma Ogunseye during a press conference on Monday, when he explained the key matters to be addressed by the parties before embarking on the 2025 campaign.
Ogunseye told the media that there are a number of issues the parties are addressing, but the most important for the WPA is the clear definition of the decision-making structure that will govern the Coalition government.
Ogunseye stated that the WPA has learned from past experiences, recognising that in the three previous elections it contested with A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), it had been marginalised.
“We have said over and over that the decision-making mechanism or approach used by Comrade (former president David) Granger had the effect of marginalising all the political parties in the coalition, including his own party, the PNC.”
The WPA executive highlighted that this issue was raised clearly during the Coalition government, after the WPA had to protest over issues that led the former President to agree to appoint party stalwart Robert Corbin to meet with the APNU’s smaller parties to ascertain the depth of their grievances.
The Corbin report, Ogunseye continued, highlighted that all the parties were unanimous in expressing concern about the way decisions were made, and that it was not in the best interests of the Coalition or the country.
He pointed out that, on many occasions, the small parties learned about major government decisions from the newspapers.
Ogunseye added that, for the last three elections, the WPA has contested the elections either partnering with or joining a Coalition. His party’s concern, he said, is that this format has denied the WPA its electoral identity as a distinct political party.
These are some of the issues, WPA Co-Leader Dr David Hind said, that are being addressed, with working committees identified and set to report back by the end of the month to tackle issues relating to the partnership.
He emphasised the party’s commitment to coalition politics, but stated that it is hesitant about returning to the APNU coalition. The party is considering whether to partner with the APNU, rather than simply being a part of it.