The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has announced that it will be concentrating its attention over the next two years on political and electoral reform, including ensuring the accountability of elected officials and equal representation of women at all levels of political life.
Following its 23rd Members’ General Meeting, which took place at the GHRA Centre on Saturday, the GHRA said it was also mandated to encourage the holding of local government elections as the basis for revitalising citizen involvement in politics and to transform public attitudes to environmental threats.
According to a GHRA statement, during discussions, the point was made with respect to reform of the political system that the fixation with countering manipulation of the racial aspects of elections is marginalising other considerations. “The complete absence of accountability, for example, remains intact regardless of who wins or how peaceful the elections are conducted. Improvement in the quality of political life depends upon elected officials being made accountable to the electorate, rather than simply to their party leadership,” the group said.
The group further said the fact that political parties have come to view one-third representation of women on electoral lists rather than one-half, as the minimum acceptable number is a matter of concern. “The minimum has effectively become the norm and its negative consequences go far beyond electoral lists. Female representation on most statutory Committees and Commissions is frequently less than one-third and never more than one-half unless the Committees deals specifically with women’s issues,” the meeting said. The meeting encouraged the GHRA to make equality of representation a priority issue during its next biennial programme.
The meeting also resolved that the association encourages all political parties in the new Parliament to agree to a specific date for local government elections at the earliest opportunity. The polls have been due since 1997.
Over the past two years, the GHRA noted, it has progressively been drawn into actions and comments on environmental matters, notably the impact of extractive industries on human rights. “Global awareness of the true environmental and climate cost of mining and de-forestation has not been matched locally where official attitudes have focused on low carbon development strategies more as a source of wealth generation than environmental sustainability,” the statement said. The GHRA also noted the widespread complacency surrounding ongoing destruction of wildlife, rivers, forests and communities. It said it is committed particularly to reduce the use of plastics and other polluting products and to prioritising environment protection rather than profits.
Representing the three outgoing co-presidents, it said Mike McCormack welcomed the members from far-flung areas to the meeting, particularly those from regions One, Three, Four, Five and Nine as well as extended apologies for those who were absent due to work commitments. He also read brief messages from Rev James Gajadhar, a secretary of the GHRA in the 1990s and Charles Sohan, an outgoing co-president, who were both unable to attend the meeting. The third co-president Sharon Atkinson, was prevented at the last moment from attending by a sudden visit by the committee reviewing land extension claims to her community Moruca, which required her presence.
The statement said the Secretary’s Report reviewed the association’s work over the last two years under 22 sub-heads. These included violence against women, governance, extractive industries, the Broadcasting Act, abolition of corporal punishment, the right to life, de-criminalising marijuana possession, exploitation of Amerindian people, persons with disabilities, policing, prisons, the Linden Commission of Enquiry, the Walter Rodney Commission of Enquiry, HIV and AIDS, sexual orientation, youth, advisory and support services.
Following the presentation of the audited report of 2013, the meeting endorsed an expression of appreciation for the free services provided by a member, who is an accountant, also assisting with finalising the 2014 accounts. The association completed a wide-ranging programme of work because of the time volunteered by members and others, particularly work undertaken with respect to policing and prisons and review of policies and draft legislation, it added.
Elections to the co-presidency saw Rudy Collins added as a new co-president alongside Atkinson and McCormack, who were re-elected. Dr Shivon Lewis was elected as a new member of the executive committee, joining re-elected members Sherwyn Blackman, senior secondary school’s teacher; Kerry-Anne Cort, data analyst; Natasha George, data processor; Michelle Kalamandeen, biologist/environmentalist; Njuma Nelson, chemist; Cecil Morris, disability activist; Dharamadai Ramjit, farmer, women’s activist and Charles Sohan, retired hydraulics engineer. Election of the Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary will take place at the first meeting of the executive committee from among its members.
