The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) is calling on the parliamentary parties to convene a session of parliament with the main aim of approving measures to inaugurate the Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform.
On the occasion of International Human Rights Day observed at the GHRA Headquarters at Austin Place, on Tuesday, Co-President of the GHRA, Mike McCormack said that convening a session to inaugurate the Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform would be a step in the direction of returning the country to normalcy.
Present at the session were Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Gail Teixeira, members of the diplomatic community and other invitees. McCormack said such a step would also demonstrate to the nation that Guyanese have the capacity and the maturity to deal with the country’s problems in a patriotic manner.
It would also “help wash away the toxic sediment poisoning relations between individual citizens and provide the momentum of a return to a more human and dignified society.”
McCormack said Guyanese in significant numbers are embarrassed, even ashamed, of their nationality because of the current situation which has induced a loss of self-esteem and an intense desire to distance themselves from the society and its trauma.
He said this loss of faith would continue as long as the crisis remains unresolved “for shameful reasons related to personal vanities, tribal loyalties and parties obsessed with scoring points and vilifying each other.”
The cost of the crisis in terms of deaths, broken lives, destroyed confidence, loss of property, traumatised children, violated women and fearful citizens was a heavy price for which both the government and the major opposition party must accept responsibility, he said.
He noted that the situation has reached critical proportions, not because the problems were uniquely complicated, but because all formal avenues for resolution of the conflict have been rendered inoperable.
McCormack also pointed out that parliament met for 19 days this year and the Constitutional Commissions - human rights, ethnic relations, children, women and indigenous peoples - meant as channels to resolve disputes and conflict, have never been implemented. As a result of the impaired relations between the two major parties, he said that none of these devices for reducing tension and conflict are available.
In his remarks, Private Sector Commission representative David Yankana said that the efforts of the Private Sector Commission in the Social Partners dialogue represent the consolidated pressure of the business community to deal with the disturbing events.
Executive Member of the Amerindian People’s Association and Co-President of the GHRA, Sharon La Rose-Atkinson expressed sadness at the loss of respect for life of all kinds in Guyana. She added that despite the progress, how many rights are still not enjoyed in Amerindian communities today where delivering babies without the aid of a midwife is still the norm.
In a message on behalf of the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan to mark the occasion, acting head of the UN systems in Guyana, Dr Bernadette Theodore Gandhi said that “the strength of the rule of law lies in its universal relevance and application... it is the best guarantee of safety, security and freedom for us all...”