THE Government is disputing an assertion by Opposition Leader, Robert Corbin, that substantial progress has not been made in its 'Constructive Engagement' with the main opposition People's National Congress/Reform (PNC/R).
In a letter dated November 14, 2003 and sent on behalf of President Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister, Sam Hinds, said members of the Government have "expressed surprise" at the assertion by Corbin.
He said this is in light of the fact that a press statement issued after the last meeting between the President and Corbin on September 15, 2003, and a well publicised PNC/R report to the Monitoring Mechanism for the process, both declared otherwise.
Monitoring Mechanisms
With regard to the Monitoring Mechanism, Mr. Hinds said that Corbin's High Representative contributed to the forced postponement of the very first meeting "by suddenly abandoning an agreed upon position dealing with alternating production and submission of the report by our teams of High Representatives."
He added that Corbin's High Representative also contributed to the forced postponement of the second meeting by again abandoning an agreement against meeting the Monitoring Group, in the context of the failure of the High Representatives to agree on the text of a press statement.
"Your High Representative compounded his error by his inexplicable unilateral submission of a PNC/R report to UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), abandoning the much publicised agreement on joint submission, as well as his excuse for his first demarche," the letter said.
It noted that fortunately, the reports were both well received by the Monitoring Group and had favourable media coverage.
The Prime Minister said: "Our High Representatives are committed to the process of implementing the Monitoring Mechanism and are willing to consider any suggestion on improving it, particularly in terms of public reception."
Constitutional Service Commissions
He noted that at the time of writing, Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, Gail Teixeira, had advised that the appointive Committee of Parliament, which she chairs, has concluded its selection of the two Parliamentary nominees to sit on the Public Service Commission. This occurred at the 13th meeting of the Committee.
Mr. Hinds said Corbin must have been party to the PNC/R's opposition in 2002 to the ruling People's Progressive Party/Civic's (PPP/C) expressed intention to appoint the Constitutional Service Commissions. He recalled that the PNC/R had insisted on the PPP/C observing the relevant Constitutional provisions.
"The PNC/R has publicly blamed the PPP/C administration for the delay, when in fact, the PNC/R has fought for the observance of Constitutional provisions despite the much visible and identified consequences of the delay," the letter said.
The Prime Minister said nonetheless, that hurdle has finally been overcome. But he noted that among the responses Corbin undertook to provide President Jagdeo, one materially affects the appointment of the non-Parliamentary nominated members of the Service Commissions.
"That response is outstanding since September 15 and has contributed to the delay in the commencement of our meaningful consultation on the appointment to the Service Commissions," he stated.
"It is difficult, then, for our High Representatives to accept that you, personally, are unaware of the PNC/R's formidable contributions to the delay in the appointment of the Police Commissioner," the Prime Minister added.
He said with regard to Corbin's proposals for the appointment of a new Acting Commissioner of Police, including the "sudden support" for legislation to allow for payment of benefits retroactively, the Government's view is that the need for such a course is not as great as before, since the major hurdle to reconstitution of the Service Commissions has been removed.
Procurement legislation
Addressing discussions on procurement legislation, the Prime Minister said Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, has advised that after fruitful exchanges, time out was given on Monday night last to solicit legal opinions on contradictions and ambiguities in the legislation.
An arrangement for the bilateral exchange to continue on November 12 during the regular Wednesday morning Georgetown Club meeting of the High Representatives was aborted as President Jagdeo's departure to St Lucia on Government business created a conflict with that schedule.
But the Prime Minister noted that on the Public Procurement Legislation and the Public Procurement Commission, Luncheon's assessment of the meeting varies considerably from Corbin's and even with any reasonable assessment of PNC/R member James Mc Allister's note marked `D' and attached to Corbin's correspondence to President Jagdeo.
Mr. Hinds said that at the last bilateral meeting, a number of legal issues had to be addressed and the next meeting was postponed to November 12.
He said the PPP/C's High Representatives are "concerned that you apparently have not been fully advised" about the October 29 understandings reached in trying to resolve the impasse surrounding the appointment of the Public Procurement Commission. It was proposed at that time that, in addition to continued efforts at the level of the PAC, resort should be made to the leaders at their upcoming meeting.
State media
On the issue of equitable access to State media, Mr. Hinds said the PPP/C High Representatives have informed him that arising from prolonged discussions at their meetings, PNC/R member Deryck Bernard undertook to collate all the points made with a view to extend the ambit of equitable access beyond that which was identified in the Bipartisan Committee's report to the leaders. That collation was intended for the attention of the leaders.
With regard to State media boards, Mr. Hinds said Luncheon had reported that PNC/R High Representatives were fully briefed about the planned actions of the administration at their last meeting. He said they had acknowledged their awareness of an understanding, since Government-Opposition dialogue in 1998, that supported the non-appointment of PNC/R nominees to Boards of entities being privatised. Exceptional circumstances at the GTV and GBC warranted a departure from that convention.
The Prime Minister said he was also advised that during discussions with President Jagdeo on such appointments, Corbin had agreed to that convention as one of those restricting PNC/R appointments to the Boards of Directors of such entities.
And he said Luncheon is reminding that the September 15 agreement called for those consultations with the bodies identified in the Joint Agreement for appointment to the media boards to be concluded by the end of October, 2003 at which time the boards would have been appointed. "I wish to point out that the Board of GNNL (Guyana National Newspapers Limited) was appointed in accordance with the agreed upon formula," the letter said.
The Prime Minister also advised Corbin that funding has been provided for the rest of the year, to complete rehabilitation work to the roof and ceiling of Parliament Building.
He said the Public Utilities Commission has finally vacated its offices there and a planned needs analysis has started. These events have been documented in the minutes of the meetings of the PMC.
"These points have been made, not to establish that the course of the Constructive Engagement has been without delays and other problems, but to establish that your contentions are not based on evidence publicly available, including the very important opinion of the Monitoring Group established by agreement in our May 6th Communiqué," it added.