Stabroek News
April 18, 2001

The stage is now set for a meeting between President Bharrat Jagdeo and PNC REFORM (PNC/R) leader, Desmond Hoyte.

The PNC/R leader has indicated a willingness to meet at any time. President Jagdeo is due to leave Guyana for the Summit of the Americas which begins in Quebec, Canada on Friday.

Hoyte's willingness to meet at any time was transmitted to President Jagdeo in response to his letter naming Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Reepu Daman Persaud, as his representative at the meeting yesterday at Public Buildings with PNC/R General Secretary, Oscar Clarke, Hoyte's representative.

Speaking with Stabroek News yesterday after the talks, which ran for about two hours, Clarke said that while no venue was discussed he informed Persaud of Hoyte's willingness to meet at any time and at any venue the President chose, including the Office of the President.

He said too that he and Persaud had agreed that the meeting should take place in a conducive environment. In his letter to Hoyte naming Persaud, President Jagdeo had indicated that their meeting should take place in an atmosphere free from fear and intimidation. Clarke said too that they had also discussed some modalities and he had indicated the issues that Hoyte would be raising and Persaud had indicated that President Jagdeo also had a number of issues he would like to raise. They agreed that President Jagdeo and Hoyte would determine the priorities they would give to issues they raised.

Stabroek News understands that among the pressing issues Hoyte would like to raise would be an enquiry into police brutality, made more urgent in the light of the unprofessional approach by the police in issuing a press release that there were plans afoot to make April 13 (Good Friday) another Black Friday. The PNC was concerned that an agency, which was responsible for ensuring calm, had spread alarm at home, and abroad among Guyanese resident overseas.

Persaud confirmed what Clarke had said and added that they had agreed to keep in touch and should meet again before the end of the week.