The seven-member committees, which have the responsibility for the scrutiny of all areas of government policy and administration, were created by amendments to the constitution approved by the parliamentary oversight committee on constitutional reform.

Lack of agreement on their constitution was one of the issues which led to the political impasse since March 2002, broken only by the constructive engagement between President Bharrat Jagdeo and Leader of the Opposition Robert Corbin that resulted in the May 6 communiqué.

The three, which have begun to work, are the sector committees on social services, foreign affairs and economic services. The fourth committee dealing with natural resources is expected to convene its first meeting shortly.

Their initial meetings have been devoted to formulating their procedures and an initial work programme.

The Social Services committee is in the process of preparing a work programme so too is the Foreign Affairs committee though it has gone as far as identifying the Caribbean Community as a topic which it would initially explore. Stabroek News understands that the committee has requested information from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and International Co-operation. Foreign Minister Rudy Insanally has been invited to make a presentation before the committee.

The Economic Services committee has also drawn up a work programme which includes a review of the work of the Ministry of Finance with particular emphasis on the loans from international financial institutions; the Guyana Sugar Corporation with emphasis on the strategic plan for the industry, Skeldon Estate and co-generation; the Ministry of Public Works with emphasis on the Transport and Harbours Department and Drainage and Irrigation.

It also plans to look at the Ministry of Local Government with emphasis on its recent decision to install interim management committees to manage at least two local government bodies.

According to Standing Order 70A, the procedure of the sector committees, which are standing committees, is the same as those for the sessional select committees such as the Committee of Selection, the Standing Orders Committee, the Committee of Privileges, the Assembly Committee and the Standing Orders Committee.

However, these committees are fundamentally different in character in that they are premised on their hearings, save those having to do with national security, being held in public. However, Standing Order 75 prevents any publication of evidence before a Select Committee being made before the committee has presented its report to the National Assembly.

Informed sources have told Stabroek News that the issue has been raised in the Parliamentary Management Committee and it is likely to be raised for the consideration of the Standing Orders Committee. They contend that the present Standing Orders are not adequate to meet the needs of the reforms, which have been made in the functioning of the National Assembly, and are in need of revision.

Commenting on the administrative arrangements in place to support the work of the committees, some members complain that the promised support in terms of research assistance is yet to be realised.

They point out that the May 6 communiqué spoke of the appointment of a research co-ordinator and research assistants as well as internet-linked computers. Stabroek News understands that the research assistants and research co-ordinator have yet to be appointed and the computers have yet to be supplied.

A hurdle, which is yet to be cleared, is that of accommodation for the new staff to be appointed. The Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which occupies a ground floor of the eastern wing of the Public Buildings, is yet to find alternative accommodation. The Head of the Presidential Secretariat has responsibility for finding accommodation for the PUC as well as the other commissions created by the recent constitutional amendments. These commissions include the Commissions on Women and Gender Equality, Human Rights, Indigenous Peoples, Ethnic Relations, Rights of the Child, and Public Procurement.