–explains how more than 6 months of “intense” negotiations collapsed
By Abena Rockcliffe
Prominent businessman, Dr. Terrance Campbell, who has been toiling to secure the return of a “grand coalition,” believes that a timely commitment by the Alliance For Change (AFC) to a proposed 65/35 formula—to the advantage of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)—could have made the difference. With that formula, the AFC was slated to have full say on the prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming elections. However, time and circumstances overcame the life of that proposal. The ball for the selection of a prime ministerial candidate is no longer in the AFC’s court. That reality has been the culminating factor for negotiations.
During an interview with Guyana Standard, Dr. Campbell confirmed that he served as an interlocutor between AFC and APNU over the past six months or more. He recalled the initial proposals of 60/40 and then 70/30. However, after those proposals did not find favour with both parties, he stepped in with an offer. Dr. Campbell said he was confident that he could have brokered a new deal.
“My exact words were that I would break the hands of Aubrey Norton and get you (AFC) a 65/35 deal.” Dr. Campbell said that AFC officials indicated that such a formula would ‘fly’ but questioned his certainty in being able to metaphorically break Norton’s hand.
Dr. Campbell said he responded with a certain level of positivity, being that Norton is the type of person to immediately say no if he doesn’t find favour with an offer. The fact that Norton did not outrightly turn down the suggestion is what caused Dr. Campbell to think he could secure the deal.
According to Dr. Campbell, the offer was on the table, but the AFC did not commit as the party was exploring options with another interlocutor. “Another gentleman stepped in and said he could secure a meeting. I then took a backseat.”
However, that meeting never happened. The AFC eventually returned to Dr. Campbell, who immediately sprang right back into negotiation gear. The businessman said that he first sought confirmation from Norton. When that was secured, he proceeded to put the formula in writing.
But, “Events have overtaken that proposal, the specific event being the offer made to Juretha Fernandes.” Dr. Campbell told this publication, “That effectively brought to an end any further official negotiations between the two sides.”
He said that while “theoretically” Fernandes is from the AFC, the party’s leadership wanted the PM to be a nominee of the AFC. “So that could be Juretha or anyone else…That lack of agency in relation to the nomination of a prime minister is what effectively brought six months or more of intense negotiations to an end,” Dr. Campbell said.
While avoiding specifics, Dr. Campbell said other issues also affected the negotiations. In fact, he invoked the popular Guyanese phrase, “in all fairness,” when he mentioned that the PM candidacy was not the be-all and end-all of negotiations. Nevertheless, Dr. Campbell admitted his belief that the “likelihood of a grand coalition would have been much higher if there had been an earlier acceptance of the 65/35 formula.”
Exhibiting faith like Job, Dr. Campbell expressed a glimmer of hope that a grand coalition is still possible. He told Guyana Standard, “I would not rule it out. It is not impossible, but it is probably unlikely.”
