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FM
Former Member

Eight civil society groups call for ‘swift end to prorogation’

Dec 4, 2014
3

The following civil society groups have joined together to issue a joint statement calling for President Ramotar “and his government to swiftly exercise the options of either an immediate resumption of Parliament or holding of general elections.”

Transparency Institute Guyana Inc; Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination; Blue CAPS; Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Church; Guyana Bar Association;Guyana Association of Women Lawyers; Help and Shelter; Women Across Differences. Notably absent is the Private Sector Commission.

Full Transcript below
WE, the undersigned members of civil society at this critical juncture of political uncertainty and national importance have come together to jointly register our grave concern at the decision by His Excellency the President to prorogue Guyana’s Parliament which is in effect a suspension of our parliamentary democracy. This is a crisis of governance on all fronts and requires urgent dialogue, mediation and citizen and civil society intervention. It is unprecedented since Independence and the way forward is tentative. We are concerned at the serious implications for our fragile democracy and the repercussions for fundamental citizens’ rights, business, stability and indeed all Guyanese.

As various civil society organisations serving our members and all Guyanese, we recognize the vital importance of how democracy and good governance are practised by our legislature, our executive and our judiciary and the direct impact on Guyanese citizens. The executive act of prorogation and the resulting suspension of the House of Representatives for possibly the next six months will significantly constrain the functioning of our Parliament and further weaken a vital institution of our Constitution and government. During this period of political turbulence, we are concerned about whether the ability of the affairs of the state will be practiced in a manner that upholds the democratic principles of transparency, accountability, inclusion and representation, which we value.

We call for a swift end to prorogation, and a return to the vital role our legislature plays in the lives of citizens of Guyana, ensuring that fair laws are made, and holding the government to account for its policies, actions, and spending on matters of paramount importance to citizens. We further recognise the urgency of harmonising our Constitution with democratic practices. Moreover, we encourage all parliamentarians to enforce Article 13 of the Constitution more regularly. We, the citizens, desire increased opportunities to have our voices reflected in “decision-making processes of the State that directly affect our well-being.”

We call on His Excellency the President and his government to swiftly exercise the options of either an immediate resumption of Parliament or holding of general elections. We urge all our political leaders to dedicate their individual and collective efforts to repairing the fragile, weak and ineffective political culture, practice and institutions that have led to this perilous period in our nation’s history. This must be effected through a spirit of compromise, dialogue, trust and reconciliation in the interest of the betterment of Guyana and all Guyanese.

Signed:
Transparency Institute Guyana Inc
Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination
Blue CAPS
Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Church
Guyana Bar Association
Guyana Association of Women Lawyers
Help and Shelter
Women Across Differences

PSC of course trying to buy time fuh Ramotar and Jagdeo along with their thief man cabal.

 

Wrap/Pompous editorial: Buying time

The Private Sector Commission’s grand bargain is a feeble attempt at middle of the road political brokering that lets the President off for his rash decision to prorogue Parliament and demands that almost all the concessions come from the opposition.

First the proposal that “the prorogation of Parliament will be ended and the work of the National
Assembly be reconvened no later than December 31, 2014″ is deliberately ambivalent. Does it mean the Parliament would reconvene on New Year’s Eve or the President would announce the end of prorogation on that day? Then bizarrely the PSC insists on a one-month moratorium for talks! This is face saving for the President and with the predictable slippage is the same as, give or take a month or two, letting the prorogation run its course until it butts up with the need to pass the budget by the end of April. It is nothing but trying to buy time for the government.

Even the language is borrowed from the government side: the Assembly’s “squandering and standoffs”, the need for “dialogue” on “important issues”, and wanting to “preserve” the life of the beloved 10th parliament. How ironic that the two groups that complained so much about the 10th Parliament – the PSC  and the government – are now the ones so desperately wanting to extend it.

The proposal also requires the opposition to defer its right to call a no-confidence motion and in return it gets? Local government elections would be called “some time before the life of the 10th Parliament comes to an end”. What a demand on the President!

“A mechanism for approval of 2014 supplementary financial papers and statements of excess” In other words the opposition forgives the finance minister for spending money he was specifically not approved to.

“An inclusionary mechanism for budget talks of 2015 and 2016.” Has never happened even under this minority government.

But this proposal is too late and too insincere. Firstly the President can’t keep this prorogation game up much longer. He himself said if talks failed he would dissolve Parliament and call elections. Both Rohee and Luncheon are speaking about the consensus among their own supporters for elections. Ramotar is to speak on Saturday at 1 pm where it was hinted he would announce a date although with this press release one begins to wonder if the two are not working in tandem and he will indicate his decision to sign on to the “locally brokered” agreement he had said he would prefer over any outside brokers. All we see is delay.

This actually smacks more of self-preservation by the PSC both by its leading individuals and as a credible organisation, than any genuine attempt at political brokerage. Times are uncertain. For many of its members the government gravy train might be coming to an end and they may have to answer for their lucrative contracts, and the cheaply bought tracts of land and properties. The relentless photographs of the meetings with diplomats, political parties and civil society groups are no accident. The members want to appear respectable responsible citizens who are putting Guyana first.

No self respecting politician who derives his power from the people would condescend to sign such a document. It’s time for elections. One Man, One Vote and the PSC should stay in its corner.

 

FM

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