Acting President meets opposition on GEC bills
THE first meeting between the opposition and Government on legislation related to the privatisation of the Guyana Electricity Corporation (GEC) was held yesterday in a very cordial atmosphere, Acting President Sam Hinds reported. The sides agreed to meet again this afternoon. Mr. Hinds said he met teams from the People's National Congress, the Alliance For Guyana (AFG) and The United Force (TUF) but declined saying what the main sticking points were. Two bills to advance the GEC privatisation process were Thursday postponed to the next sitting of the House to allow opposition queries on the legislation. Leader of the House and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr. Reepu Daman Persaud told members that he received a letter from PNC leader, Mr. Desmond Hoyte Wednesday, requesting the postponement of the Electricity Sector Reform Bill 1999 and the Public Utilities Commission Bill 1999. Hoyte's letter was written on behalf of the three parliamentary opposition parties - the PNC, the AFG and TUF. The letter contended that the second readings of the bills should be done with the substantive subject Minister, Mr. Hinds present. Mr. Hinds, who is acting for President Janet Jagan who is out of the country for medical tests, cannot attend Parliament, as is stated in law. Persaud said, after reading the PNC leader's letter to the House, that he had talks with Hoyte and the other two parties, and they agreed that the bills will come up for debate at the next sitting, July 29, even though Mr. Hinds will probably still not be able to make it.
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