Stabroek News
April 26, 2001

Following their breakthrough meeting a day earlier President Bharrat Jagdeo and PNC REFORM leader Desmond Hoyte yesterday sealed agreement on a clutch of new areas including committees on the bauxite industry, house lots apportioning and depressed communities.

The Office of the President meeting agreed on the establishment of a joint committee to examine the various options for the resuscitation of the bauxite industry. The committee is to submit its report within three months of its establishment. (See text of joint statement on this page.)

The leaders also agreed on the establishment of an all-party mechanism for the management of parliamentary business as soon as the National Assembly was convened, and to the speedy establishment of a National Procurement Commission (NPC) once the constitutional amendment was enacted.

Joint management of parliamentary business was one of the measures in the St Lucia Statement of 1998 that should have been pursued during the last parliament. The establishment of a NPC was one of the recommendations of the Constitution Reform Commission (CRC) that should have been enacted during the last parliament as well.

A joint statement, presented at 6 pm, listed these among other measures agreed by the two leaders at their second meeting in two days that lasted just under two hours.

Speaking with reporters briefly after their meeting, both leaders described the session as very productive and fruitful. They are to meet again next week to continue their discussions on outstanding issues.

When they first met on Tuesday, the two leaders agreed on an agenda, which included the 17 issues raised by Hoyte in his broadcast to the nation on March 30. It was a ground-breaking development in the context of the month-long unrest that had wracked the country following the March 19 general elections.

Hoyte said they had advanced the process considerably. And based on the interaction between the two leaders when they met the press afterwards, the environment the discussions took place in was very cordial.

Among the other agreements reached yesterday was that they would set up a Joint Task Force within two weeks to undertake the task of implementing the provisions of Local Government Reform Legislation. This should be completed within 12 months.

They also agreed that local government elections - not run off since 1994 - would be held as speedily as possible after the implementation of the legislation and that they would consult with the Elections Commission to alert them to this possibility. Local government reforms were agreed on and incorporated into legislation which lapsed when the National Assembly was dissolved in February.

The leaders also agreed to the establishment of a committee to develop a bipartisan approach to border and national security issues and the recapitalisation of the army.

Agreement was also clinched on the setting up of a committee speedily, to examine and report on a national policy for the distribution of land and house lots (including relevant criteria and mechanisms). This committee will submit its report within a time frame to be determined. This was another of the recommendations of the CRC which was not enacted during the last parliament.

They also agreed to set up a committee to examine the needs of various depressed communities across Guyana and report back in six months. While this committee was working, they agreed to identify some areas where rehabilitation works will begin at an early date.

The statement said that they also agreed to work together for the speedy completion of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper and to ensure that the resources identified in that process flowed towards the reduction of poverty and the creation of employment. This appeared to be one of the issues tabled by President Jagdeo and was part of the requirement for accessing resources under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries initiative.

Jagdeo and Hoyte also agreed, according to the statement, to set up a committee to examine the issue of the state monopoly of radio and the question of non-partisan boards of directors for the state-owned media and the National Frequency Management Unit. It said too that this committee would examine the enacting of Broadcast Legislation for the responsible use of the media. The time frame set for the report of this committee was six weeks. This was among the issues raised by Hoyte in his broadcast.

The two leaders will meet again on May 2nd.

In their meeting on Tuesday, the two had concurred that the public service would be politically neutral and that in this context the position of the Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon would be reviewed. The PNC/R also recognised the government without prejudice to an election petition and both sides accepted that violence should not be part of any protest and that they would work towards lessening tensions. The decision was also taken that the term of office of the present Chancellor of the Judiciary, Cecil Kennard would not be extended.

The blossoming of dialogue between the two leaders is seen as a giant step forward in the country returning to normality after weeks of protests by supporters of the PNC/R which oftentimes turned violent and paralysed sections of the east coast.

A huge fire in the commercial district also occurred amid the unrest obliterating many stores on Robb and Regent Streets including Kissoon's Furniture City.


Joint statement by President Bharrat Jagdeo and leader of the PNC/R Mr Desmond Hoyte

1) We will set up a Joint Task Force within two weeks to undertake the task of implementing the provisions of local government reform legislation. This should be completed within twelve months. We also agreed that local government elections be held as speedily as possible thereafter. To this end we will consult with the Elections Commission to alert them to this possibility.

2) As soon as the National Assembly convenes, political parties in the assembly will meet to establish an all-party mechanism for the management of parliamentary business.

3) We agreed to establish a committee to develop a bi-partisan approach to border and national security issues and the re-capitalisation of the army.

4) We agreed to the speedy establishment of the National Procurement Commission once the constitutional amendment is passed.

5) We agreed to set up a committee speedily to examine and report on a national policy for the distribution of land and house lots (including relevant criteria and mechanisms). This committee will submit its report in a time frame to be determined.

6) We agreed to establish a joint committee to examine the various options for the resuscitation of the bauxite industry. This report would be submitted within three months of the convening of the committee.

7) We agreed to set up a committee to examine the needs of various depressed communities across Guyana and report back in six months. In the meantime, we have agreed to identify some areas where rehabilitation works will begin at an early date.

8) We agreed to work together for the speedy completion of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper and to ensure that the resources identified in that process flow towards the reduction of poverty and the creation of employment.

9) We agreed to set up a committee to examine the issue of government monopoly of radio and the question of non-partisan Boards of Directors for the state-owned media and the NFMU. The enacting of broadcast legislation for the responsible use of the media will also be examined by this committee. This committee will report within six weeks.

10) The parties agreed to meet again on Wednesday, May 2nd to forward our discussions.