The PPP last week complained to a US congressional delegation about what it said were arbitrary dismissals by the new government and also asserted the need for electoral reforms.
A statement yesterday from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) said that General Secretary, Clement Rohee and a PPP delegation met with a United States Congressional Staff delegation on Thursday, August 27, 2015 at Freedom House, Headquarters of the Party.
US Embassy Charge d’Affaires Bryan Hunt accompanied the delegation.
The release said that the congressional staff delegation advised about established custom and practice in the US as it relates to transitional arrangements from one government to another following presidential elections.
The efforts by Republicans and Democrats to work together through bipartisan engagements in both chambers of Congress on matters of national importance was also explained.
The release said that the PPP drew to the delegation’s attention the Guyanese experience since 1992 as regards the establishment of transitional teams between outgoing and incoming governments. The Party also drew to the notice of the Congressional team “new unwelcome developments whereby the incoming administration has resorted to witch-hunting and the arbitrary dismissal of persons known to be supporters of the PPP employed within the government and state structure”, the release said.
The party also drew the attention of the Congressional delegation to the more recent electoral demands of the Party following the May 11 General and Regional elections.
In this regard, the US delegation was told about the Party’s calls for electoral reform including a new voters’ list, implementation of an e-voting system, advanced biometrics and ethnic balance and a more transparent process in the recruitment of staff hired by the GECOM.
The release added that it was “generally understood that electoral reform would be a good basis for building on the good relationship between Guyana and the US.”
