The Procurement Commission and Local Govt. Reform Bills must take priority

Nov 07, 2013 Letters

Dear Editor,
Clinton Urling in a letter to your Sunday Newspaper 27th October 2013 on page 5 questioned “how can the custodians of our nation be so inflexible.”
He posited the view that “the constant wrangling and quibbling is swiftly becoming the norm.”
I wish to remind Urling that Guyana is not alone on the matter of political differences and posturing, out of the need to guard political space and leverage by political parties.
In the parliaments of Europe and Asia, also closer to us in the United States of America, Congress and the Senate experience the same level of political infighting and posturing.
Only recently the Government Services in America, almost 95% of the areas of administration and management, had to be closed because of intractable differences between the Republicans and the Democrats.
An eventual compromise was worked out after a late retreat from the brink by the Republicans, who were the irrational adversaries in the deadlock.
In Guyana, the PPP/C Government is the irrational adversary in the deadlock in the parliament and the non-signing into law of decisions of the parliament.
The situation, as known to the Guyanese people, speaks to the PPP/C Government’s presumptuous belief that they own Guyana, all the national institutions and the people of Guyana inclusive. As such, the Government Leaders seem to have no interest in seeking compromise or give and take to accommodate the views of opposition political parties and the decisions of parliament, provided the Opposition votes prevail.
Given the disrespect of the Government to the Opposition political parties, the Opposition has to demonstrate serious resolve to defend the people’s interest in the environment of predator-like Government machinations.
Another area of disquiet that affects the nation is the Government’s apparent willingness to be in shady deals and less than transparent engagement and contracts with transnational organizations. It is either our Government officials who negotiate international business agreements and contracts are less than adequate to the tasks so they readily give away our national assets for a handshake, or they are a party unwittingly to a conspiracy against the people so they probably agree to deals at the expense of the integrity of the benefits to the nation.
The people’s representatives in the National Assembly are expected to defend and safeguard what is beneficial to national development.
To this end, Government continues to blatantly ignore calls by the Opposition to implement constitutional requirements, which if in place will improve transparency in Governance, assure acceptable checks and balances, and further national development. It is the right and business of the opposition to force the Government to comply using parliamentary or any other means.
It is my considered view that enactment of the Procurement Commission which is provided for in the Guyana Constitution and assent to the Local Government reform Bills as approved by the National Assembly, is substantially much more important to the Nation State at this point in time than any other matter before the legislative assembly.
Much is being made by Urling and others on the importance of approving the money laundering and countering of terrorism bill by the National Assembly. That proposed Law, however, is nothing more than a continuation of the neocolonialism strategy of the U.S.A and former European powers to regulate and control the economies of underdeveloped nations.
It is my understanding that Guyana has some of the more stringent Laws already, to deter money laundering and countering of terrorism.
That notwithstanding, we seem to be only too ready to copycat to please the foreign financial lords and masters of the neo colonists in acceptance of subjection, so as to earn the benefit of loans, grants and subventions in return – which is a continuation of the basket case mentality.
Urling and his colleagues could assist the opposition by imploring upon his Government to accede to the National Assembly decisions, respect the Opposition as parties in National Development and institutionalize the provisions of the Guyana constitution without further undue delay.
Clement Corlette
Regional Chairman
Region 4

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