He said, too, that although full Parliamentary Democracy is not yet achieved, the essential framework for such a reality is now being laid.

According to Corbin, the Communiqué signed on Tuesday has time constraints and can be used as an opportunity to monitor how well the provisions agreed to in the document progress.

In this regard, he yesterday pledged his party’s support to the motion (Modalities to give effect to Provisions for Article 119C) moved last week by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Ms. Gail Teixeira, which he suggests seriously addresses Parliamentary democracy.

The Opposition Leader indicated too, that this motion is just a part of a larger “menu of measures” agreed to by President Jagdeo and himself. “We will not move forward in Guyana unless we act in good faith,” Corbin said.

President Jagdeo, in presenting the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Government’s position paper on ‘shared governance’ a few months ago, stressed the importance of Government and Opposition working together in ‘good faith’ in a committed effort aimed at moving our country forward and raising the standard of living of our people.

Meanwhile, two very important Bills - the Fiscal Enactments (Amendment) Bill 2003 (Bill No. 3/2003) and the Land Registry (Amendment) Bill 2002 (Bill No.14/2002) were passed in the National Assembly yesterday while a third Bill - the Kidnapping Bill 2002 (Bill No. 15/2002) was deferred to the next Sitting of the Assembly, which has been adjourned to May 15.

The Fiscal Enactments (Amendment) Bill 2003 which is a Bill intituled an Act to amend the Tax Act and the Income Tax Act was piloted through its second reading by Housing and Water Minister, Mr. Shaik Baksh while the Land Registry (Amendment) Bill 2002 which is a Bill intituled an Act to amend the Land Registry Act was piloted through its readings by Attorney General, Mr. Doodnauth Singh.

During the lively debate on the two Bills, the Opposition Members of Parliament put forward a few amendments which they felt were necessary, but which were voted against by the government side.

As a result of this lack of `total consensus’ from the Government and Opposition, there was a ‘division’ on both Bills. However when the vote was taken, the Government used its majority and passed both Bills.

The ‘sticky’ point of the second Bill had to do with the time frame for the speeding-up of the land distribution process and the issuing of leases and land titles.

According to the speakers from the Government side, the PNC/R has ‘opposed the quickening’ of the land distribution process. The Government wanted notification of this process to be completed in a one-month period, while the Parliamentary Opposition opted for the process to remain at the exiting three-month time frame.

Baksh argued that this would only serve to delay the Government’s housing drive and reiterated that the Bill is a “very simple and sincere piece of Legislation” which is aimed at ensuring that Guyanese don’t have to wait long periods to get their land titles. He also alluded to the tremendous work done by the Government in the housing sector over the last decade, and said this Bill is simply aimed at further helping Guyanese.

Meantime, during the continuation of the motion moved by the Minister Teixeira last week, she stated that Guyana is the only Parliament in the Commonwealth Caribbean where the Executive (in Guyana’s case, President Jagdeo) has conceded certain powers to the National Assembly, making it a Parliament with executive powers.

Teixeira noted that the approval of the Parliamentary Appointment Committee will be a major step in the development of Guyana’s Parliament.

During yesterday’s sitting several speakers spoke including Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manzoor Nadir, Opposition Chief Whip Lance Carberry, Leader of the ROAR, Mr. Ravi Dev and member of the GAP/WPA, Ms. Sheila Holder.

Health Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, in his presentation, told the National Assembly that “the events of the last week that have seen the appointment of the new Leader of the Opposition and the return to Parliament of the PNC/R and the passing of the motion establishing the bipartisan Management Committee for Parliament, in many ways forge a ‘new beginning’ for Guyana’s Parliament and for our fledging democracy”.

“These events provide us with yet another opportunity to foster a new form of engagement between our various political parties, especially the engagement between the PPP/C and the PNC/R,” Ramsammy said.

“Although we continue to hear the gloom and doom stories about Guyana and our model of governance, the fact is that we make small, but important strides everyday in building a more tolerant and a more inclusive society, and in building our democracy,” he contended.

“Today’s sitting, during which we would approve the motion to establish an Appointments Committee to make nominations for appointment to the Service Commissions and to other statutory Commissions, contributes to building the inclusive society that all of us speak of these days,” the Health Minister asserted.

According to him, yesterday’s sitting of the National Assembly, held in the Convention Centre of the Ocean View Hotel, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, was possible because the Government and the Opposition have worked together for accommodation.

“In spite of our difficulties and in spite of sometimes great, seemingly overwhelming acrimony, we always find ways to accommodate each other; for some of us it has taken too long,” Ramsammy posited.

“Mr. Speaker, whether we do so with great diligence or not, whether we stumble on the way or not, whoever deserves the credit, the fact is Guyana has been evolving towards an inclusive democracy over the last decade,” the Health Minister told the assembly.