-range of issues discussed
By Miranda La Rose
A top appointment in the Police Force and concerns about national participation in Carifesta were among matters President Bharrat Jagdeo and Leader of the Opposition Robert Corbin discussed yesterday.
The two leaders met at the invitation of President Jagdeo at the Office of the President. Corbin told the media after the meeting that, “We discussed some matters related to the service commissions, one of them was an appointment in the Police Force, details of which I would like to discuss when I have formal communication on it.”
Asked whether the appointment was that of a Commissioner of Police, given the current acting appointment of Acting Commissioner of Police Henry Greene, Corbin would not elaborate except to say that “when one gets an indication of what one is thinking the other gets the opportunity to think on it. I am at that stage.” He added that consultation in the context of the Constitution requires certain procedure.”
Greene was appointed Acting Commissioner of Police in July 2006.
According to Article 211 of the Constitution, “the Com-missioner of Police and every Deputy Commissioner of Police shall be appointed by the President acting after meaningful consultation with the Leader of the Opposition and Chairperson of the Police Service Commission after the Chairperson has consulted with the other members of the commission.”
Another issue which the President raised, Corbin said, was that of Carifesta. While he was concerned about national participation, Corbin said that he expressed concerned about creating the right climate to ensure people were happy.
He said he does not believe that if people were hungry due to the high cost of living and they felt insecure the environment would be right for the regional event. How-ever, he said that the President spoke of the capacity of the government to deal with some of the issues.
Corbin said that as leader of the PNCR, he made clear the party’s position on the high cost of living along with relief measures recommended and the president has undertaken to look at them.
Petition
Noting that the measures raised were also in a petition the joint parliamentary opposition is to put to the Caricom Heads of Government, he said that if he had gotten a positive response to the issues there would have been no need for the petition to be sent to Caricom.
As PNCR leader, he said that he also took the opportunity to discuss the subject matter of the party’s recent marches and demonstrations and the devastating effect of the cost of living and the relief of measures needed to be put in place to stem the high food prices.
The measures he recommended include the reduction of the Value Added Tax, relief for pensioners – that is a significant increase to possibly $20,000 per month, relief for vulnerable persons, a review of the 5% increase to public servants, an increase in payment for police special constables, review of payment for policemen on in-line duty, special intervention to cushion the rising fuel costs, a freeze on the proposed hike in electricity rates at Linden, measures to stem the rising food and transportation costs, immediate payment of the single- parent relief which was announced several weeks ago, and a programme to promote employment for youth in various villages.
To some of these issues Corbin said that the President outlined the government’s position but he did not elaborate.
In terms of human rights, Corbin raised the suspension of Channel Six’s broadcast licence, the detention of Oliver Hinckson on sedition charges, the release of the torture report, and undue harassment and imprisonment of youth in several communities without charge by the police.
Governance issues raised, he said, included the undermining of the functioning of the Guyana Elections Com-mission and interference in the conduct of registration by the non-payment of scrutineers, continuation of the national stakeholders meeting which began in the wake of security and governance concerns, and the need to continue urgent discussions on the issues of inclusive governance or shared governance as a necessary prerequisite for progress, development and security for its citizens.
Asked what the President’s response was to the issues he raised, Corbin said, “I would not say that I have had negative responses. I would say I have had indications of willingness to discuss some of them in the future. I had hoped that the president (would) give some positive responses.’
They are to meet next week to look at some of the matters raised but because of past experiences in which agreements reached were not honoured, Corbin said that he would prefer to wait and see.
Meanwhile in a release issued prior to the meeting, the PNCR said that it believed that the meeting was a direct result of the existing situation in Guyana and comes in the wake of recent marches and demonstrations the party held to seek redress on the issues Corbin raised.
The party, however, said it wished to emphasize that the meeting, by itself, would not detract from its agenda with respect to the spiralling cost of living and other issues affecting the people of Guyana at this time.
