The Social Partners are to begin another round of consultations this week with the parliamentary parties to get their thoughts on how to move forward on the issue of a more inclusive model of governance as defined in Article 13 of the constitution.
In addition to the Social Partners' initiative on crime being stalled after three meetings last month, there is a change in the leadership of the PNCR. Chairman Robert Corbin is carrying out the functions of leader until a special delegates conference on February 1, elects a new leader. Corbin led the PNCR team at the talks on the crime communique. Spokes-person for the Partners, Private Sector Commission chairman, Peter deGroot, told Stabroek News that the consultations to be initiated this week were a result of a decision taken at a meeting of the representatives of the member organisations of the Partners and their advisors on Friday. The member organisations of the Social Partners are the Guyana Bar Association, the Private Sector Commission and the Guyana Trades Union Congress.
Dr deGroot declined to comment on whether the Social Partners would persist with their initiative on crime which stalled despite broad agreement on the proposed communique, or to resume the consultations on the Article 13 initiative that was convened on September 11.
The September 11 meeting tasked the Social Partners with drafting a more detailed proposal on their concept of inclusive governance as envisaged by Article 13 of the Constitution.
Last month, the PNCR circulated its thoughts on the issue but the PPP/C and The United Force are yet to submit definitive proposals. Both say that the Social Partners did not ask for proposals for shared governance but rather recommendations as to how the consultations should proceed to make Article 13 of the constitution a reality.
Article 13 provides for greater access being given to individuals and their groups to participate in the decision making process particularly on those issues that affect their daily lives.
However, officials of the PPP/C since then have been explaining that the constitution as amended provides for increased participation by individuals and their organisations in the decision making process. What was needed they say is for the parties to give the amendments time to work.