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Parliamentary Opposition petition CARICOM…

May 24, 2008 News

Free Hinckson, reinstate Sharma’s licence

Withdraw sedition charges against Oliver Hinckson and immediately release him from custody and rescind the suspension of the licence of CNS TV Channel 6, owned by C N Sharma.

These are among the many interventions that the Joint Opposition parliamentary parties are seeking to have CARICOM leaders raise with Head of State, Bharrat Jagdeo.

This was announced when the opposition parties on Thursday commenced a drive to solicit signatures throughout the expanse of Guyana for a petition which will be presented to each CARICOM leader by mid June, inviting them to make recommendations to the President and Government of Guyana to meaningfully address issues affecting the well-being of the citizens of Guyana.

According to leader of the main opposition party, Robert Corbin, who read a prepared statement at a press conference at City Hall on Thursday, the Petition calls on the leaders of sister CARICOM countries to uphold shared ideals of freedom, peace and justice by furthering the legitimate aspirations of “our people for a society free from debilitating conflict, violence and fear of the future.”

When questioned about the non response of the CARICOM chairman, Hubert Ingraham, to Corbin’s previous request for interventions into Guyana, Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC) Raphael Trotman said, “We have to keep pressing the issue and hope that this time they are more sympathetic.”

Corbin noted that the petition is expected to be handed in time for the upcoming CARICOM Heads of Government meeting which would provide a forum to have the issue addressed.

Regarding the CARICOM opposition leaders body, Corbin said that taking the issue to that forum would have been of no use given that that body has been defunct for some time.

The petition was also supported by leader of the Guyana Action Party (GAP), Paul Hardy.

According to Corbin, among the issues to be presented in the petition is the unilateral and arbitrary decision by the President of Guyana, in his capacity as Minister responsible for administering the Wireless and Telegraphy Act, to suspend, by a procedure that was manifestly unfair and contrary to natural justice, the licence of CNS TV Channel 6, a private local television station, for four months.
There is also the prolonged inaction or outright refusal to enact Broadcast Legislation and establish an Independent National Broadcasting Authority, based on the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Radio Monopoly, Non-Partisan Boards and Broadcasting Legislation.

The Report and recommendations of the Committee were adopted by the President and the late Leader of the Opposition, Mr H. D. Hoyte, in December 2001.

The arrest and detention of, and the subsequent laying of unsustainable charges of sedition against Oliver Hinckson, retired Lieutenant of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), who has been refused bail while his case has been repeatedly adjourned at the behest of lawyers for the prosecution also formed a part of the petition.

The use of brutal torture by the Security Forces, against citizens, among them Victor Jones, Patrick Sumner and David Zammett, in contravention of the International Convention Against Torture ratified by the Government was also included.

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