C/wealth SG visits “home of democracy” in Guyana

Jul 01, 2015 News

– meets with Speaker

Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma yesterday paid a courtesy call on the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland.

Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma (L) and Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland

Sharma visited Dr. Scotland at Parliament Building, Brickdam, Georgetown, and was engaged in a lengthy meeting that was later deemed “very interesting.”
During brief comments to the media, Sharma said that the Commonwealth attaches deep importance to the culture of democracy and therefore “it is always a very special moment when the Secretary General goes to the place where the heart of democracy beats.”
He told the media that he is very grateful that Dr. Scotland allocated “so much time to advise me of the work here with the rest of his team.”
Further, Sharma noted that he gave Dr. Scotland all assurance that partnerships from the Commonwealth Secretariat as well as the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association will continue. He said that support will go towards working together to strengthen the home of democracy in Guyana.
Dr. Scotland literally dropped a line to the media about the meeting, divulging only that discussions were had about the opportunities for strengthening the culture of democracy in Guyana. Dr. Scotland said that it was an “extremely interesting visit.”
As is customary, the visit concluded with a tour of the Parliament Chamber where the Secretary-General expressed his admiration for the Chamber’s ceiling, which is considered to be the most artistic and ornate of legislative Chambers in the English-Speaking Caribbean. He also remarked on the statue of Hubert Nathanial Critchlow located in the compound of Parliament.
Sharma told the media that he was headed, just after his meeting with Dr. Scotland, to meet with members of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C. He said that he was already briefed that the benches of the opposition in the National Assembly may soon be filled and said that he “looks forward to that moment.”
Asked to comment on the delay so far, the Secretary General said, “it is all part of democracy… but the important point is that every indication is being given now that the list (of candidates) will be released very soon.”
Earlier this year, former President Bharrat Jagdeo headed the Commonwealth Elections Observer Mission to Sri Lanka and outlined several discrepancies in the process.
Many in Guyana had opined that the majority of what Jagdeo pointed out to have been going wrong in Sri Lanka, were things that occurred during his watch as Guyana’s President.
Sharma was asked yesterday to comment on the fact that Jagdeo, as the Head of Commonwealth Observer Mission condemned things that were not dissimilar to what had occurred in Guyana, but he (Sharma) declined to comment.
“I do not comment on domestic politics, but the Secretary General (referring to himself) uses the services of past heads of government to advance the work of democracy and election in order parts of the world. This was done quite frequently and I was pleased when the former president accepted my invitation. (Abena Rockcliffe)