Civic to discuss political impasse
Possible solutions to be put to PPP
Stabroek News
July 7, 2002
Concern about the impact of the present political impasse between the PPP/C and the PNC/R has moved the Civic component of the government to consider developing independent positions on the issue. The group is meeting today to hammer out positions for the consideration of the PPP at its biennial Congress, being convened on July 20-21.
The issues listed for discussions include the impact of the impasse on the political, economic and social life of the country and the organisation and conduct of the Civic group. Members of the Civic component include Prime Minister Sam Hinds; Attorney General, Doodnauth Singh; former attorney general, Bernard DeSantos; Education Minister, Henry Jeffrey; Home Affairs Minister, Ronald Gajraj; Works Minister Tony Xavier; Public Relations expert Vic Insanally; Empowerment Adviser, Odinga Lumumba; and city accountant, Ronald Alli; Amerindian Affairs Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues; Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy; Guyana Geology and Mines Commissioner, Robeson Benn; Guysuco chairman, Vic Oudit; and Dr Hughley Hanoman.
Members of the group to whom Stabroek News spoke have tried to downplay the significance of the meeting. They said that the grouping usually met before the PPP biennial congresses. However, Stabroek News understands that these meetings are usually with the PPP executives and this was not being done this year.
PPP General Secretary, Donald Ramotar, said he was unaware of the meeting and declined to comment on its significance, adding that he would have to think about it.
Asked what would be the party's position if the grouping were to independently meet other Civic groups, Ramotar said that it was free to meet anyone and the PPP had no position on it.
For some time now members of the Civic component have been arguing for the establishment of "normal politics" since the present political culture detracts from the democracy the PPP is trying to build.
Dr Jeffrey, in a recent television interview on Channel 69 contended that "normal politics" existed where the political interplay took place according to rules and traditions of established democracies. Another condition, he stated was that political parties should be able to win and hold power without reference to the existing divisions in society.
"Normal politics," he said, required respect for the rule of law, open multi-party elections and freedom of expression and assembly.
The impasse between the two parties has sprung from the perception of the PNC/R that the dialogue has not delivered any benefits to its supporters. The parties have also been unable to reach agreement on the constitution of the parliamentary sector committees and the parliamentary management committee.
Dr Jeffrey contended too that the instability created by the present political culture hindered the development and conditions had to be created that would allow for the proper functioning of political system.
Other members have offered that the party should explore the possibility of some power-sharing arrangement, initially beginning with making the present dialogue workable.
Ramotar explained that in a recent television interview with Christopher Ram, he had indicated the PPP's willingness to explore any issue that addressed the present political problems in the country.
He said that the PPP/C had no position on power sharing but felt that it was an arrangement, which needed careful study given the negative experience of Zimbabwe and a number of other countries. In Zimbabwe, according to Ramotar, the ZANU (PF) and ZAPU - the major parties in the country - had agreed to a power-sharing arrangement but soon dropped it to form one party, which led to the Robert Mugabe dictatorship.
Other Civic members feel that a possible solution to the impasse on the parliamentary management committee could lie in the Speaker chairing it or as an alternative proposing a rotating chairman. They said that a solution to the impasse on the sectoral committees would be a little harder on devise since they considered the PNC/R's position unreasonable.
The PNC/R's position is that ministers should not be appointed to these committees. However, it is willing to considering a reduction in the size of the committees, given the PPP's concern about its capacity to man these committees if their size remained at level previously agreed.
The other Civic members also contended that the PNC/R's proposal for improving the conditions of the parliamentarians including support for their constituency work and better library and research facilities should be given serious consideration. Other demands by the PNC/R include the re-introduction of Members Day and the listing of Opposition questions and motions on the Order Paper. The Civic component members believe these demands should be accommodated if the parliament is to be more inclusive.
Another issue that the Civic component wants addressed is the complaints by the PNC/R of judicial killings by the Target Special Squad. They contend that the credibility of the TSS has been compromised by the disclosures about its members' involvement with former US diplomat, Thomas Carroll, who was sentenced to more than 22 years in jail last month for visa fraud in the US. The PNC/R said that these disclosures justified their call for an enquiry into the police force. The Civic members concede that it required at least an enquiry into the activities of the TSS.
They said too that the Police Complaints Authority should be given the resources to independently investigate allegations of police brutality and disciplinary action should be taken where the accusations are proven.