Each committee has been assigned ministerial responsibilities so as to facilitate the desired results of its functions.

The motion was one of two approved during a sitting which started some 69 minutes late in the Convention Centre of Ocean View International Hotel, Liliendaal. Speaker Ralph Ramkarran said it was the result of a series of events conspiring against them, including blackout.

The other was for a Consensual Mechanism for the Nomination by Entities of members of the Rights Commission.

Both, which were presented by Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, had the full support of the opposition parties in the National Assembly, in particular, the main Opposition People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R).

The Parliamentary Sector Committees will consist of seven members, four representing the Government and three the Opposition, in addition to both the Government and Opposition being entitled to elect one alternate member each for each of the committees.

The appointment of a Chairperson and Deputy for each committee will be done from opposite sides of the National Assembly and would alternate annually, with two Sector Committees each to be chaired by the Government and Opposition, respectively.

In discharge of their scrutinizing role, the four committees will examine all polices and administration, for each sector, to determine whether the execution of government policy is in accordance with the principles of good governance and in the best interest of all the people of Guyana.

In addition, the committees have been given the powers to:

** determine areas of government activity for scrutiny or specific examination.

** request the Minister assigned responsibility for the sector to submit written or oral information , including government documents and records about any area of government and administration.

** review existing legislation on government policy and administration for any of the sectors.

** summon persons to give evidence, scrutinize government documents, papers and records.

** visit any government activity or project in the country as agreed and arranged by the committees.

** in discharge of their mandate, utilize the services of experts, specialists and other sources of advice as they determine.

** establish a timetable for the conduct of their work.

** make recommendations to the National Assembly on legislation or any other action to be taken on matters falling within their purview.

** submit periodic reports to the National Assembly on their work, and

** invite comments, from the Minister assigned responsibility for the sector on their recommendations or reports.

However, the National Assembly, aside from the work programme of the sector committee, may request the committee to give prompt attention to a particular aspect of the policy or administration of the government for a sector.

Minister Ramsammy in presenting the motion noted that the whole idea of sector committees has found favour in dialogues with political parties.

Minutes after the adjournment of Parliament, an Appointment Committee held its first meeting.

PNC/R Member of Parliament, Mr. Deryck Bernard, in lending support to the motion on behalf of his party, lauded the contribution of many institutions, organizations and individuals, including Speaker Ramkarran in his capacity as Chairman; Minister of Parliamentary Affairs in his capacity as Leader of the Government side, and then-Secretary of the Constitution Reform Committee, Mr. Haslyn Parris.

He welcomed the move to bring about active scrutiny of the activities of Government, saying it would create greater public choice and a greater sense of accountability by both Government and opposition parties.

In addition, it will be of benefit to institutions not recognized in Parliament, such as the public media and social partners.

Bernard however cautioned that the system must be made to work, not be allowed to die.

Minister Reepu Daman Persaud noted that the Government is not repulsive to criticisms and has always been ready to answer questions.

Alluding to the much-needed support lent by the main opposition and other recent happenings, the Leader of the Government’s business in the National Assembly remarked that a new parliamentary era and a new beginning had now been entered.

The Consensual Mechanism for the Nomination by Entities of Members of the Rights Commission, according to the motion, provides for the appointment of certain commissions, in particular the Ethnic Relations Commission; Women’s Gender and Equality Commission; the Indigenous People’s Commission; and the Rights of the Child Commission.

The approval allows for set procedures to determine the nomination of members and their alternates including, that entities in any group invited to select a nominee for appointment to the Commissions, should be written by the Clerk of the National Assembly inviting them to meet on a day, date, time and place to be agreed by them, to determine their nominee and who should be the replacement.

It specifies, too, that where there is a recognized “umbrella organization” for the group, the Clerk should write to the organization, and copy his letter to each of the constituent entities” within the group.

In addition, the nominee or substitute chosen must be persons who are competent to contribute positively to the work of the Commission, and committed to ensuring that it discharges all of its functions.

They should also have earned the public respect and be of unquestioned and unblemished honesty and integrity.

Also, the process or procedure used must be demonstrated to be unbiased and transparent and importantly too, the nominee or substitute should obtain the unquestioned support and acceptance of the entity nominating them as well as other entities within the group.

Minister Ramsammy said mechanisms are guidelines not only for political parties but organizations and others as well and that it has the consensus of all the parties.

PNC/R Chief Whip Lance Carberry, who spoke on behalf of his party in support of the motion, said the mechanism is an essential element in the implementation of a set of mechanisms to ensure that rights are dealt with effectively.

He noted that while one Commission is already in place it is an excellent move to seek to put the others in place quickly.

Carberry noted, though, that the Fundamental Rights Bill remains outstanding piece of legislature.

And, while the PNC/R is happy and looks eagerly for the Commissions to become functional, there is need to have a Secretariat in place.

Carrberry expressed the hope, too, that the momentum is continued to the implementation stages.