Vale Royal talks resume

The Vale Royal bi-partisan talks between the government and the opposition are to resume at 10 a.m this morning.



JLP General Secretary Karl Samuda said both the JLP and the PNP have agreed to continue the talks based on the country’s growing crime problem.



The talks, which were last held in January, were suspended because of tension associated with a row between finance minister Audley Shaw and PNP general secretary Peter Bunting.



During his closing budget presentation in April, Mr. Shaw said Dehring, Bunting and Golding, for which Mr. Bunting is a former chairman, had benefited from so called sweetheart deals in the sale of the assets of the Financial Sector Adjustment Company.



Mr. Samuda said the talks would continue now that the tension has eased.



The Vale Royal Talks were introduced by former Prime Minister PJ Patterson after the 2002 General Election and are aimed at arriving at general consensus on issues of national concern.