2003 between Jagdeo and former Opposition Leader

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General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, Clement Rohee said that he would be the last person to blame former President Bharrat Jagdeo for the breakdown in relations between government and the opposition.Rohee was at the time responding to questions about whether Jagdeo’s decisions with regards to the distribution of radio licences have caused the rift between the government and opposition.The question pointed directly to an agreement dated May 5, 2003 between Jagdeo and former Opposition Leader, Robert Corbin, in which it was agreed that there would be a freeze on the distribution of all new commercial frequencies for radio and television until a new Broadcasting Act came into effect.That was a repetition of what Jagdeo and former President Desmond Hoyte had agreed upon. According to Rohee, he sees no reason why the former President should shoulder any blame.He opined that the former President is capable enough to take responsibility on any matter where there are criticisms. “A question like that is best situated in the realm of Dr. Luncheon at his press conference” Rohee noted whilst maintaining that he was not protecting the former President.Moreover, in the area of trust between government and the opposition, Rohee said that he has noted that the little trust which emerged among the political parties in Guyana has begun to dissipate.According to Rohee, government had managed to build some amount of trust between former President Desmond Hoyte and former PNC/R Leader, Robert Corbin. However, this has now changed, Rohee said.“I think a tremendous sense of trust was emerging during that period, succeeded by Mr. Corbin. A tremendous amount of trust emerged during those days as well and then for some reason or the other, we saw the little trust that was developing in those days beginning to dissipate.” Rohee posited.Rohee said that trust building between the two sides will continue to be a work in progress.“It’s not something that happens overnight, especially among politicians in a society like this which has such a difficult history, but we have to keep working on it. We cannot give up on our efforts to build trust and eventually to move on,” Rohee said.