The Alliance for Change (AFC) is calling for a review of the acting Auditor General’s decision to promote a number of persons at the Audit Office, since the party is dissatisfied with the actions of the government members of the Public Accounts Committee at the last meeting on Monday.
“The AFC is disturbed at the manner in which the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly approved the appointment of Directors of the Audit Office, including that of Mrs Ashni Singh. The approval was given in the absence of the AFC representative to the PAC Trevor Williams who unfortunately, was delayed travelling on the Essequibo River,” the AFC said in a release.
The AFC said a matter as important as this, with constitutional and ethical implications ought not to have been the subject of a PAC vote “as engineered by the PPP representative” in the absence of the full committee of the PAC.
“This is tantamount to a sleight of hand especially in the context of the previous meeting when the AFC member asked for an adjournment to be given time for the committee to be better advised,” the AFC said in its release. Efforts yesterday to reach Williams proved futile.
Meanwhile, the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) is calling for a suspension of the tripartite talks and for parliamentary opposition parties to engage in extra parliamentary action to pressure government as the party spoke in condemnation of the actions of the ruling PPP/C on forcing a vote on the appointment of staff to the Audit Office in the absence of a member of the AFC.
The WPA called the actions of the ruling party deplorable and injurious to efforts at consensus. As a result, the WPA said, the opposition should in the short term adopt an approach of non-cooperation with the government until it demonstrates a commitment to respect the will of the people as reflected in the National Assembly.
At a meeting of the PAC on Monday June 18, 2012, the PPP members challenged the right of the members of the PAC to question the proposal for appointments made by acting Auditor General Deodat Sharma.
At last Monday’s meeting, the PPP members, contrary to the consensual approach normally used for decisions of the PAC, forced a vote to appoint all the staff including those whose appointments they had previously opposed because they have not met the qualifications required for the posts.
In a press release yesterday, the WPA said, “Rather than working for common ground on this matter, the PPP/C has chosen to utilise bullyism to get its way. WPA views this as nothing short of minority tyranny, which has no place in democracy. WPA, therefore, condemns the PPP for yet again jettisoning the spirit of compromise pursued by the Opposition and to which the Government pays lip service,” the release said.
The party said that it is not surprised by the PPP’s latest action “which we see as a consistent with the party’s divisive and confrontational approach since the November 28, 2011 elections.”
The WPA said the action comes on the heels of President Donald Ramotar’s “threat to govern by veto” and said that the PPP’s rhetoric must not be taken seriously.”
However, the WPA chided the combined opposition for its tardiness in ensuring that its members show up for crucial meetings. “We call on APNU and AFC to implement a more coordinated and purposeful approach to dealing with the people’s business in the National Assembly. The apparent lack of cooperation between the two parties only benefits the PPP while inflicting damage to the collective psyche of the masses of people who voted them into parliamentary office,” said the WPA.
The WPA said that the PPP by its actions has declared war on the majority will. “For 20 years it has taken advantage of the opposition quest for compromise to consolidate its iron grip on the state and society. The loss of its parliamentary majority has not halted this approach, rather than ushering in a new season of democratic decision making, the loss of parliamentary majority has pushed the PPP further down the dictatorial road. WPA suggests that this must be confronted and stopped before it is too late,” the WPA release said.
