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APNU to lobby for Ombudsman’s appointment

Dec 13, 2011 News

 

Among the many issues on the agenda of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) when the Tenth Parliament commences is the appointment of an Ombudsman. Therefore, complaints of maladministration by Government and injustice meted out to citizens could be investigated.
This is according to Robert Corbin, Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), during a recent interview with this newspaper.
PNCR constitutes the largest bloc of APNU, which is a 10-party  coalition that includes the Working People’s Alliance, Guyana Action Party, Justice For All Party, and National Front Alliance, among others.
According to the Commonwealth Caribbean Public Law by Professor Albert Fiadjoe, the system of Ombudsman gives encouragement to open government and, to that extent, helps to bring transparency to the decision making process.
Corbin emphasised that during the five-year lifespan of the Ninth Parliament Guyana was without an Ombudsman to enforce political control over governmental bodies.
He pointed out that the Constitution under Article 192 makes provision for the Ombudsman to investigate any action taken by any department of Government or by any other authority to which this article applies, or by the President, Ministers, officers or members of such a department or authority.
Corbin stressed that the PNCR is cognizant of the necessity for an independent body like the Ombudsman to investigate complaints, even those involving the President, under the Bharrat Jagdeo regime.
As such, being the main opposition party it consistently requested the appointment of an Ombudsman in Parliament but the matter was subverted by Government which had the Parliamentary majority.
He insisted that the Jagdeo Administration even tried to manipulate the Judiciary so it is not surprising that an Ombudsman was never appointed.
One must wonder whether the Ombudsman would have been able to operate effectively, knowing the track record of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic.
According to Guyana’s Constitution Article 191 (1), “The Ombudsman shall be appointed by the President acting after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.” Corbin expressed hope that the newly elected President Donald Ramotar would see to it that an Ombudsman be appointed after consulting with the Leader of the Opposition. He stressed that any President that is open for scrutiny and is transparent would not refuse to appoint an Ombudsman.
According to City Mayor, Hamilton Green, under the Burnham regime the Ombudsman operated without interference. Evidence of this was the Ombudsman’s investigation into complaints brought by Eusi Kwayana against two Government Ministers, Hamilton Green and David Singh.
During the investigations Green was exonerated and Singh was forced to resign.

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