A number of civil society groups today banded together to call on President Donald Ramotar to bring a swift end to the suspension of Parliament.
In a statement today Transparency Institute Guyana Inc, Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination, Blue CAPS, Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Church, Guyana Bar Association, Guyana Association of Women Lawyers, Help and Shelter and Women Across Differences was in effect a suspension of parliamentary democracy.
Ramotar has been unable to mobilise support for the prorogation of Parliament and his government has been increasingly criticized over the move. Ramotar has promised to say more about prorogation at a planned press conference on Saturday.
The full statement follows:
Joint statement by civil society
WE, the undersigned members of civil society at this critical juncture of political uncertainty and national importance have come together to jointly register our grave concern at the decision by His Excellency the President to prorogue Guyana’s Parliament which is in effect a suspension of our parliamentary democracy. This is a crisis of governance on all fronts and requires urgent dialogue, mediation and citizen and civil society intervention. It is unprecedented since Independence and the way forward is tentative. We are concerned at the serious implications for our fragile democracy and the repercussions for fundamental citizens’ rights, business, stability and indeed all Guyanese.
As various civil society organisations serving our members and all Guyanese, we recognize the vital importance of how democracy and good governance are practised by our legislature, our executive and our judiciary and the direct impact on Guyanese citizens. The executive act of prorogation and the resulting suspension of the House of Representatives for possibly the next six months will significantly constrain the functioning of our Parliament and further weaken a vital institution of our Constitution and government. During this period of political turbulence, we are concerned about whether the ability of the affairs of the state will be practiced in a manner that upholds the democratic principles of transparency, accountability, inclusion and representation, which we value.
We call for a swift end to prorogation, and a return to the vital role our legislature plays in the lives of citizens of Guyana, ensuring that fair laws are made, and holding the government to account for its policies, actions, and spending on matters of paramount importance to citizens. We further recognise the urgency of harmonising our Constitution with democratic practices. Moreover, we encourage all parliamentarians to enforce Article 13 of the Constitution more regularly. We, the citizens, desire increased opportunities to have our voices reflected in “decision-making processes of the State that directly affect our well-being.”
We call on His Excellency the President and his government to swiftly exercise the options of either an immediate resumption of Parliament or holding of general elections. We urge all our political leaders to dedicate their individual and collective efforts to repairing the fragile, weak and ineffective political culture, practice and institutions that have led to this perilous period in our nation’s history. This must be effected through a spirit of compromise, dialogue, trust and reconciliation in the interest of the betterment of Guyana and all Guyanese.
Signed:
Transparency Institute Guyana Inc
Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination
Blue CAPS
Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Church
Guyana Bar Association
Guyana Association of Women Lawyers
Help and Shelter
Women Across Differences