UK conference on Guyana awaiting response from PPP/C
Stabroek News
June 20, 2003
Organisers of the UK conference on Guyana are finalising the list of participants and speakers for the July 7-10 event but to date the participation of the government and representatives of the governing PPP/C is up in the air.
Stabroek News understands that while the PNCR is to be represented, the PPP/C is awaiting clarification on a number of issues including the objectives of the Wilton Park conference which is being organised by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development.
Stabroek News understands that President Bharrat Jagdeo has met with British High Commissioner, Stephen Hiscock on the matter and on related issues.
The organisers are also awaiting a response from the political parties as to the names of their representatives to the meeting.
An official from the High Commission told Stabroek News that while no deadline had been given for a response there was a date by which arrangements would have to move forward based on the information at hand.
In addition to persons invited in their personal capacities as part of a wide cross-section of civil society organisations, President Jagdeo and Leader of the Opposition Robert Corbin have been invited to nominate representatives to represent the PPP/C and the PNCR.
The objective of the meeting, an official of the British High Commission told Stabroek News, is to come up with a list of proposals, acceptable to the majority of the participants as to the way forward for Guyana and how the international community can best help in that process.
He said those proposals were expected to come out of the workshops and the free and frank discussions on the various presentations and workshop reports that would be generated.
Some of the speakers invited to make presentations include Guyanese-born British Ministers Baroness Amos and David Lammy, economists Bishnodat Persaud, former Common-wealth Secretary- General, Sir Shridath Ramphal, and Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, Trevor Phillips.
Other speakers now being lined up include former Saint Lucia Prime Minister Vaughn Lewis; former chairman of the Elections Commission, Major General (ret’d) Joe Singh and the present chairman, Steve Surujbally; Halsyn Parris, member of the Elections Commission; Hugh Cholmondeley, retired United Nations conflict resolution specialist and media consultant; Richard Monk, the Director and Senior Police Adviser to the Secretary General, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe; the Commonwealth Secretary General, Don McKinnon and his envoy to Guyana, Sir Paul Reeves and Anna Benjamin, Stabroek News’ Sunday Editor.
Among the topics to be explored are Guyana’s economic prospects and how best to encourage economic development, the role of the defence forces in policing, and civil society’s role in making democracy work. (Patrick Denny)
