PNCR General Secretary Oscar Clarke travelled yesterday to Antigua and Barbuda to present the joint parliamentary opposition’s petition calling on the Caricom Heads of Government to recommend to President Bharrat Jagdeo and his administration that they meaningfully address a number of issues.
Leader of the Opposition and PNCR Leader Robert Corbin last evening told Stabroek News that Clarke and PNCR-1G MP Africo Selman travelled to St John’s yesterday to present the petition to the Chairman of Caricom, Antiguan Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer.
At press time, Corbin said that he was not in a position to report whether the petition had been presented or not.
Some 8,000 signatures were appended to the joint parliamentary opposition petition which was due to be submitted prior to the opening of the Twenty-ninth Meeting of the Conference of Caricom Heads of Government.
The petition detailed the suspension of the licence of CNS TV Channel 6 and called for the withdrawal of sedition charges against former army officer Oliver Hinckson and his immediate release from custody; the urgent enactment of broadcast legislation and the licensing of private radio stations among other areas.
The petition noted the government’s refusal to proceed with consultations on inclusive governance in keeping with the May 6, 2003 communique and government’s acceptance of the National Development Strategy (NDS) of 2000 which emphasized good governance as a prerequisite for national development; and government’s reluctance to implement the Guyana Security Reform Plan in a holistic manner which includes, linking police reform with actions in other areas of the security sector, strong linkages in particular with the ongoing programmes in justice reform and citizen security, and a need to address the root causes of criminal and political violence, poverty and unemployment.
