The high representatives of President Bharrat Jagdeo and Leader of the Opposition, PNCR leader Robert Corbin are to meet again on Wednesday to continue their review of the implementation of the May 6 communiqué and June 18 Follow-Up Agreement decisions. They have already had two meetings. When they meet this week, Stabroek News understands that Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon and his PNCR counterpart, PNCR Parliamentary Chief Whip Lance Carberry are expected to work out an agreement on the list of government bodies on which the PNCR is “allowed” representation.

President Jagdeo and Corbin at their last meeting agreed that their representatives should meet to thrash out the differences between the two sides on the status of implementation of decisions they have taken, and those remaining unimplemented from the Jagdeo/Hoyte dialogue process.

Stabroek News understands that when they met on Thursday, Carberry presented Dr Luncheon with a list of committees, boards and commissions, for him to indicate those which no longer existed and those whose constitution are fixed by statute.

The issue of PNCR representation on government boards and committees is a long-running issue and one which in 1999 scuttled the Herdmanston Accord political dialogue. The disagreement then was over the question of parity with Luncheon claiming that the PNCR was not on par with the PPP/C in the dialogue. The PNCR’s contention was that the dialogue was premised on negotiations between equals.

Under the Jagdeo-Hoyte dialogue even though the issue was advanced the PNCR claimed that some of its nominees to the boards, on which it was invited to submit nominations, were not appointed.

Under the Jagdeo-Corbin constructive dialogue, the May 6 communiqué set September 5 as the deadline for reconstituting the boards of the state-owned media entities based on the formula agreed by the joint committee on broadcasting set up under the Jagdeo-Hoyte dialogue process. According to the formula, members of these boards are to consist of a nominee from the University of Guyana, four nominees from the President, three nominees from the Leader of the Opposition after consultation with the other parliamentary parties, a nominee of the Consumers’ Association and a workers’ representative of the entity. Besides the PNCR representation on boards, Dr Luncheon and Carberry have a number of other issues before them. These include the principle for adding persons outside the parliament to the standing committee on constitutional reform, on which they agreed they would submit for consider ation by their principals the two positions on the issue that has been put forward. Remuneration for parliamentarians including consideration for those serving on committees, facilities for the regional parliamentarians that would enable them to service their constituencies effectively, and the payment to members of the constitutional commissions with special consideration for those required to serve in a full-time capacity.

Another issue before Luncheon and Carberry is the upgrading of the staff and facilities of the Parliament Office so as to enable it to more efficiently service the National Assembly. Stabroek News understands that Luncheon is awaiting proposals on the issue from the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran who is on vacation.

An issue holding up the upgrading of the facilities of the Parliament Office is the continued presence of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in the eastern wing of the Public Buildings. The Follow-Up Agreement has set July 31 for the PUC’s removal, which was an extension of the June 30 deadline set by the communiqué. Stabroek News understands that resolution of the issue awaits the return to Guyana of the PUC chairman, retired Justice of Appeal, Prem Persaud. There are also accommodation issues for the newly-created constitution commissions as well as the establishment of secretariats; and in the case of the Human Rights and Ethnic Relations Commissions, the constitution of tribunals to hear appeals from their decisions.