There are still a number of unimplemented decisions which are holding up the upgrading of the facilities for parliamentarians and the provision of the administrative and other support to enable the parliamentary committees to operate efficiently and effectively.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Reepu Daman Persaud, Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon and Education Minister, Dr Henry Jeffrey are the President’s representatives. PNCR Chief Whip, Lance Carberry, and PNCR parliamentarians and central executive members, Deryck Bernard and James McAllister are the Leader of the Opposition’s Representatives.

One of the decisions relates to the removal of the Public Utilities Commission, which remains ensconced in the bottom flat of the eastern wing of the Public Buildings, denying the Parliament Office the additional space it needs to accommodate additional staff it has been authorised to recruit, and to provide improved facilities for the parliamentarians.

Another issue which remains unresolved, is the re-constitution of the boards of the state media. These boards are to be constituted according to the guidelines agreed by the joint committee on broadcasting. The guidelines say that the boards should consist of a representative each from the University of Guyana, the Consumer Associations and the workers of the media entity, three representatives nominated by the Leader of the Opposition and four nominated by the President.

The deadline for this as set by the May 6 Communique was May 5, but resolution of the issue is being held up as the two sides have only just settled the whole issue of the PNCR’s representation on state boards, commissions and committees. Stabroek News understands that a list of some 100 boards has been compiled on which the political parties will have representation. At their next meeting, scheduled for today, the two sides are expected to finalise the details about how the appointments will be made.

At their meeting on Wednesday, the two sides agreed on the matters that they would refer for the consideration of Jagdeo and Corbin who are expected to meet during the course of this week. These issues include the appointments to the Public Procurement Commission, on which the Public Accounts Commission is unable to move ahead because of its failure to agree on an appropriate set of criteria to evaluate the persons nominated by the parties.

The constitution of the service commissions is another issue which has been referred to the leaders. The issue here concerns the departure of the Constitution (Amendment) (No 3) Act from the recommendation of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee and how the oversight will be corrected. There is also the proposal for a change in the mode of consultations between the President and the Leader of the Opposition on the appointments the President makes to the Public Service, the Teaching Service and the Police Service Commissions after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.

Another issue referred to the leaders is the recommendations for increases in the pay of parliamentarians and the various forms of support to be provided to the 25 regional parliamentarians.

The two sides also agreed on the principle for co-opting experts and other persons to assist the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform in its work.

While the Office of the President has been unable to meet the deadline for the removal of the Public Utilities Commission from the bottom floor of the eastern wing of the Public Buildings, it has been able to identify a building to house the Ethnic Relations Commission. This committee met for the first time this week under its chairman, Bishop Juan Edghill. Stabroek News understands that until the secretariat is in place the Parliament Office will be providing it with administrative and secretarial support.

The appointments of the Ethnic Relations Tribunal are still to be made, even though President Jagdeo assented to the legislation creating it more than two years ago.

The two sides have returned to their original agreement to submit a joint report to the Stakeholders’ Briefing Session. They agreed that the Office of the President would prepare a draft for discussion between the two sides and then an agreed document would be presented. The Stakeholders’ Briefing is a decision of the June 18 Agreement.

Stabroek News understands that the joint task force on local government is yet to submit its report. There is some disagreement between the co-chairman, Minister in the Ministry of Local Government, Clinton Collymore and PNCR chairman, Vincent Alexander about whether or not the committee needs to be given additional time to complete its work on recommending an electoral system under which future local government elections will be held, among other issues.