Latest update April 23rd, 2024 12:59 AM
Oct 11, 2022 News
– bemoans lack of stakeholders’ involvement in planning, preparation of ToRs
Kaieteur News – All stakeholders should have played a role in the planning of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the 2020 elections and the preparation of the Terms of Reference (TOR), Shadow Legal Affairs Minister and Member of Parliament, Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde has said.
With the COI for the 2020 elections set to commence next month, Forde in a public missive expressed concern that not only were political parties excluded from the development of the COI and its business, but that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) which also contested that last polls had all the say in an exercise that affects all involved. Forde believes that this one-sided approach to the COI by the PPP-government puts the party in an advantageous position.
He said that it is normal for the President to set up a COI as the law gives certain powers to act in ways that will protect the Constitution, the interests of the State and the people by establishing Commissions and other Tribunals to investigate matters and events, particularly those of consequential implications.
It was thought therefore that given the sensitivity of the election matter, and the fact that the PPP/C was a competing party in those very troubling elections, that “…the President would have, at the very least, interrogate the practical idea of consulting with other parties, and encouraged them to co-design the Commission and its Terms of Reference (TOR),” Forde said. He said that the PPP/C was involved in the very election that brought concerning questions to the fore about the conduct, administration, and management of those elections, and the functionality of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM”. The President is therefore under a constitutional obligation to act in an inclusive manner, Forde submitted as the Constitution proclaims Guyana to be an “inclusive democracy”. President Ali could have used a broad- based approach to set up the COI,” Forde continued.
He said that approach would have prevented the wide-spread perception that PPP/C party affiliates could have a free hand to covertly indulge in actions inimical to other opposition and minority parties, on the effectiveness of the work of the Commission; heightened confidence and create trust in the process; and allow the President to treat the establishment of the Commission as a part of a continuum that could have ultimately improve collaboration between the government and other political parties and stakeholders to design systems to better the lives of all Guyanese. “The President has squandered the opportunity to show strong leadership and to be inclusive in his approach on a significant national issue,” Forde opined. He said that “surely, it could not be that of all the political parties that contested the March 2, 2020 Elections, only one, – the PPP/C- gets to pick the team that would investigate the processes, by which that party won the elections. Clearly, the PPP/C is in an advantageous position, here.”
He said when one thinks that both the form and formulation of the Terms of Reference (TOR) were decided on, and drafted by the PPP/C party- “it is clear that, that party have given itself an unfair advantage against all other parties, that contested the March 2, 2020, general and regional elections, in Guyana. I suspect that the PPP/C has done so because it can. But in doing so, it has committed a serious error, fatal to public trust, which is absolutely necessary for good cooperation and acceptance of the work, and findings of the Commission.”
Forde explained that the TOR of a Commission usually defines its investigatory powers, limit or strengthen its investigative reach, set the time lines and geographic scope of the Commission’s investigation. “In the instant case, all of that was done by just one of several political parties that contested elections of March 2020. No other party was consulted or given the opportunity to participate at any stage of the formulation of the TOR of the Commission.”
It must be assumed therefore, “that whether an inquiry body will have an impact rests with the quality or credibility of its factual findings, analysis and policy and other recommendations. However, if the PPP/C as a single party, with its history of discrimination and unfairness, hogged this Commission to itself then how can people who believe in good governance and democracy trust the process?” The MP reminded that the governing party only represents a portion of the populace while the parties representing the rest of the population were neither consulted nor invited to participate. “But, the PPP/C appears unconcerned about this crisis of trust it has facilitated in the work of a Commission for which it is getting ready to vote and pay out millions of taxpayers’ dollars.”
Forde does not believe the President is serious about finding the truth and implementing real and lasting electoral reforms. “…if he was then certainly he would have considered extant political and other circumstances, in the matrix of announcing, selecting Commissioners and establishing such a Commission; he did otherwise,” Forde charged.
LISTEN HOW JAGDEO WILL MAKE ALL GUYANESE RICH!!!
Apr 23, 2024
Kaieteur Sports – Over the weekend, the prestigious Lusignan Golf Club played host to the highly anticipated AMCHAM Golf Tournament, drawing golf enthusiasts and professionals alike from across...Kaieteur News – Just recently, the PPC determined that it does not have the authority to vitiate a contract which was... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]