Editorial
Stabroek News
March 22, 2001

Former US President Jimmy Carter yesterday met the PPP/C presidential candidate Bharrat Jagdeo and the PNC/R presidential candidate Desmond Hoyte to discuss a statement he had prepared that contained positive ideas for future change and cooperation. They approved the text and pledged to implement its provisions.

The ideas are not new, indeed they were to some extent foreshadowed in principle by the assumptions of the Herdmanston Accord. But it is a positive sign that the two leaders have recommitted themselves to these ideas, especially at this sensitive time. The first commitment is to complete the work of the Special Select Committee on constitutional reform. The amended constitution will be put to a referendum for approval within twelve months.

The statement talks of an "inclusive organisation of government, within which the majority and opposition political parties will both be involved in the leadership of parliamentary standing communities and the selection of leaders to fulfil major responsibilities of governing and management." It mentions the Chancellor and Chief Justice, Auditor General, a human rights commission and an ethnic relations commission, a body to deal with the allocations of land and housing, the tendering of contracts, a permanent committee on constitutional reform and a permanent elections commission. Again, these ideas have been canvassed before and some were actually considered in the recent constitutional reform process. Proposals were put forward for a new method of appointing the Chancellor and Chief Justice but were not approved. The committee did recommend the setting up of a human rights commission and an ethnic relations commission. Legislation for the latter was passed but the commission has not been set up. Ideas were put forward some time ago to appoint a national commission to deal with the allocation of land and a precedent in Northern Ireland was mentioned. Certainly we need a permanent committee on constitutional reform and a permanent elections commission, based on a new model that does not include members of parties as commissioners. It is good that the leaders have agreed to revisit these proposals.

Finally, the statement calls for a constructive dialogue between the top leaders of the two parties as well as other political and civic organisations, the Amerindian community and women.

These are all valuable ideas. The simplest course for the new president, however, may be to give the other leader an open invitation to early dialogue. The agenda can be settled after their first meeting, perhaps by an exchange of correspondence. Above all, every effort must be made on both sides to scale down the virulence in the political rhetoric and to learn to treat each other with some basic respect. Now that the election is over, there really is no excuse for vilifying and demonising each other.