HEAD of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, yesterday indicated that Cabinet, having recognized the importance of the most recent decision of the Appointive Committee of Parliament and in anticipation of its formal adoption, has expressed confidence that the lengthy delay in the appointment of the Service Commissions was close to an end.
Speaking with reporters at his regular post-Cabinet news conference at the Presidential Secretariat in Georgetown, Luncheon noted that Cabinet at its meeting on Thursday, discussed the next steps in the constructive engagement between President Bharrat Jagdeo and Opposition Leader, Mr. Robert Corbin.
According to him, Cabinet examined the basis for the PNC/R statements about "lack of progress" and "loss of public confidence" in the constructive engagement and felt that the timing of these disclosures by the PNC/R was reactionary.
"Cabinet noted that the process of meaningful consultation with Mr. Corbin would be influenced by a long awaited and still outstanding response from Mr. Corbin on a proposal on correcting the composition of the Police Service Commission," Luncheon contended.
"Corbin is yet to pronounce on his party's willingness to correct the present constitutional position on the composition of the Police Service Commission," Luncheon said, adding that Cabinet expressed its resolve to bring to closure the longstanding matter of the absence of the Constitutional Service Commissions for over three consecutive years.
Luncheon also indicated that there has not been any proposed date for the next meeting between the President and the Opposition Leader since many proposed dates have fallen due to conflicting engagements between the two leaders. He also noted that Mr. Corbin is currently out of Guyana so the earliest possible date would have to await his return from overseas. (Mark Ramotar)