PNCR WELCOMES PRESIDENT LULA The PNCR welcomes President Luiz
Inàco Lula da Silva of the Federative Republic of Brazil to the
Republic of Guyana. The PNCR has always promoted and continues to
promote and cherish the excellent friendly and cooperative relations
that exist between our two peoples. The PNCR wishes on behalf of the
people of Guyana to express our gratitude to the Government and
people of Brazil for their contributions and their continuing
support in the current disastrous floods.
THE FLOOD DISASTER PNCR
EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES TO FAMILIES OF FLOOD DISASTER VICTIMS The PNCR wishes to extend
heartfelt condolences to all of the families and friends of the
victims who have died as a result of the recent flood disaster. It
is now reported that there are some thirty three known flood related
deaths. Among the deceased are friends and supporters of our Party
including Mr. Thomas Sandiford, the late Chairman of the Plaisance /
Industry Neighbourhood Democratic Council, NDC, and former Calypso
Monarch, Joseph Thomas aka “Lil Joe”. Their passing has brought
great sadness to us all. Several
others are afflicted with water borne illnesses and our prayers are
with those who still remain hospitalized. The true extent of our health
dilemma remains unknown to Guyanese as the Government continues to
feed the citizens a diet of mis-information and half truths. It is
evident that the Government by its irresponsible approach to the
present disaster must be held accountable for the deaths of these
persons. PRESIDENT JAGDEO AND THE
GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE Today marks 27 days since the
Flood Disaster occurred. After such a prolonged period several
villages on the East Coast remains inundated with floodwaters.
Hundreds of persons still remain trapped and traumatized in their
damaged homes. The death toll mounts daily and the danger of life
threatening diseases is ever present. To compound matters further,
professional persons have lodged reports warning of the instability
of the East Demerara Water Conservancy Dam (EDWC), which is in a
very fragile state. The Government is yet to admit truthfully the
danger posed by this situation, even though this could result in
more drastic flooding and decimate whole villages.
Ignoring the call by the PNCR at
the onset of the crisis for a professionally run National Disaster
Task Force whose operations would be transparent in every way, the
Government instead opted for a series of ad-hoc maneuvers under
central control by President Jagdeo and operated by PPP/C officials.
In the Health sector, the inability of the regime to provide
alternative professionally organized, safe accommodation has
resulted in persons remaining in the floodwaters and falling victim
to deadly diseases. This is totally unacceptable to the people of
Guyana. §
The inability of the regime to put in place the
equipment and the logistics to drain the flooded areas after 27
days; §
the ignoring of the serious warning of flooding
given in November 2004 by the Regional Chairman, Mr. Alan Munroe; §
President Jagdeo’s refusal to accept help offered
by the International
Community at the beginning of the Disaster; §
the ad-hoc planning, the total disrespect for
professional opinion and refusal to involve competent experienced
professionals who may have been able to bring speedier relief to
suffering citizens; §
the self-serving Party propaganda and the use of
the State television Station to unashamedly feed the nation a diet
of half-truths; and §
the irresponsible manner in which the President
continues to deal with the Flood Disaster in a political partisan
way, make the Government liable and
answerable to the people of Guyana. It may now be appropriate to
consider whether the time is not ripe to hold the Government as
criminally negligent and culpable for the associated deaths and
human suffering experienced by thousands of Guyanese during this
period. It is clear that uncertainty is
the order of the day. This Government has responded to one of the
greatest catastrophes this nation has ever faced in an irresponsible
manner. It continues to unashamedly feed the nation a diet of
half-truths, giving the Nation and the international community the
impression that everything is under control. It is evident that the
Government wants to ignore this suffering and direct the Nation’s
attention to other matters, in reality thousands of Guyanese
continue to suffer daily. This is totally unacceptable to the People
of Guyana. How can this Government be trusted with the task of
rebuilding the shattered lives and communities devasted by the
Flood? The PNCR calls for the urgent
assessment of losses suffered by citizens and the implementation of
a programme to render assistance in rehabilitation. This programme
must enable citizens to restart their lives, to provide economic and
other assistance to replace items lost and recommence their economic
activities to ensure survival. This programme must be coherent and
transparent and not politically manipulated by the PPP/C as is
clearly evident in the present flood relief operations. The PNCR
also proposes to meet very shortly with the Private Sector to find
out what support the Party can render to them at this time. FAILURE TO SUMMON THE PARLIAMENT Any self respecting Nation,
faced with such a tragedy, would have considered it essential for
its Parliament to meet to consider the serious state of affairs of
the Nation. GAP/WPA Member of Parliament, Ms. Sheila Holder, wrote
to the Speaker requesting that the National Assembly be summoned to
discuss this matter. She received a terse response by the Speaker,
which stated that the matter was one for the Government. The Leader
of the Opposition further wrote to the Speaker also requesting an
urgent Sitting of the National Assembly on Tuesday February 1, 2005.
To date, no response has been received. The Deputy Speaker of the
Parliament requested an urgent meeting of the Management Committee
of Parliament to consider this matter and at that meeting she urged
the Management Committee to request a Sitting of the National
Assembly on the Flood Disaster. The long serving Member of
Parliament, Pandit Reepu Daman Persaud, reiterated that it was a
matter for the Government and obviously did not consider the
suffering of Guyanese an urgent matter for the National Assembly to
discuss. After days of callousness the
Government has now considered it fit to summon the Parliament for
the visit of the Brazilian President on Tuesday February 15.
Recognizing that the Parliamentary Sitting could result in
embarrassment to both their visitor and the Government,
Parliamentarians were belatedly informed last night (February 10)
that the Government proposes to summon the National Assembly on
Wednesday February 16, to discuss Guyana’s Flood Disaster, after
it has already met to be addressed by the Brazilian President.
The People of Guyana can now
judge how important the suffering of citizen’s rank in President
Jagdeo’s and the Government’s priorities. The question, which
the citizens must now answer, is how long we will allow this state
of affairs to continue? The PNCR had offered its unequivocal support
to the Government in the flood crisis. The Party has done it best to
contribute to flood relief efforts. However, the Party has a wider
responsibility to the people of Guyana and it will not stand idly by
while the people of Guyana continue to suffer. We wish to congratulate and
thank all Guyanese Organizations, Guyanese and friends of Guyana at
home and overseas who have responded readily to flood relief efforts
without being formally invited. The PNCR and the people of Guyana
owe them all a debt of gratitude. ELECTIONS UPDATE OPPOSITION
PARTIES TO MEET ELECTIONS COMMISSION ON TUESDAY
After some delay, the Elections
Commission has set a date for the meeting with the Parliamentary
Opposition Parties. This meeting is now scheduled for Tuesday
February 15, 2005. Several weeks ago, the Opposition Parliamentary
Parties had requested a meeting with the entire Elections Commission
to discuss its concerns about the preparations for the next
Elections and to outline the minimum conditions that would be
acceptable for the conduct of free, fair and transparent Elections.
The Opposition Parties requested this meeting after they had made
many submissions to the Commission on issues such as the
implementation of continuous registration; the upgrading of the
electoral system to include new biometric features in the form of
finger prints, which can be cross referenced; and, the conduct of
house-to-house verification as the basis for the compilation of a
new National Registrar of Registrants and the eventual production of
a new accurate voters list. The PNCR had previously expressed its
concern about the slothful manner in which the Commission seemed to
be operating and its indecisiveness in relation to the numerous
issues which require urgent action if elections of an acceptable
standard are to be held by March, 2006. The PNCR notes that the
Needs Assessment Report is now in the possession of the Commission
and that there has been no discussion to date on its contents. These
concerns are even more pertinent today with the passing of time
since these were brought to the attention of the Commission. PRESIDENT SEEKING TO USURP
FUNCTIONS OF ELECTIONS COMMISSION While a meeting between
Parliamentary Opposition Parties and the Elections Commission has
been fixed for Tuesday, February 15, 2005, the PNCR yesterday,
February 10th, received a letter from the Head of the
Presidential Secretariat inviting the Party to attend a meeting on
Monday, February 14th 2005 hosted by President Jagdeo
with members of the Donor Community, the
Parliamentary Political Parties, PPP/C & PNCR
and the Guyana Elections Commission. The letter states that the
meeting would specifically address: “1.
Presentation by GECOM on the Hathaway’s Report; 2.
General Discussion on the Report; 3.
Planning the Way Forward.” The PNCR had previously informed
the President that any meeting to discuss Elections must involve all
stakeholders but, at minimum, all Parliamentary Parties. The PNCR
received a similar letter on January 11, 2005 last. In his reply
dated January 12, 2005, the General Secretary of the PNCR enquired
of Dr. Luncheon whether all the Parliamentary Parties were invited.
The letter also questioned the propriety of the President calling
such a meeting to discuss matters which were within the jurisdiction
of the Independent Elections Commission. Typical of the PPP/C’s
contempt of the PNCR, there has to date been no reply. The new
letter yesterday makes no reference to the PNCR’s earlier letter
and did not provide the answers. The PNCR has since replied querying
whether all the Opposition Parliamentary Parties have been invited
and also requesting a response to its earlier letter. The management of elections is
the sole purview of the Guyana Elections Commission. Consequently,
any meeting by President Jagdeo could only be prejudicial to the
deliberate judgment of the Commission. The contempt for the other
Parliamentary Parties also continues since there is no evidence that
they have been invited to the President`s meeting. The PNCR is also
reliably informed that the GECOM Commissioners have not yet
discussed and deliberated on the Hathaway’s Report. Consequently,
one wonders what kind of presentation could be made by the Chairman
of that Commission to the President and the Donor Community.
President Jagdeo must, therefore, be confused if he believes that he
can call a meeting to plan the way forward for the independent
Elections Commission. Perhaps, in the manner he has acted in the
present Flood Disaster Operations, the President believes that he
can commandeer the GECOM. Notwithstanding the aforementioned
shenanigans the PNCR remains resolute and will not be party to an
electoral process that falls short of acceptable standards.
PNCR CALLS FOF MEANINGFUL
CONSULTATION ON NEW AMERINDIAN ACT The PNCR calls on the Jagdeo
Government to extend the time and ensure that there is true and
meaningful consultation with the Indigenous People of Guyana, their
representatives and other stakeholders. It is evident that the
Regime proposes to bulldoze the new Amerindian Act through
Parliament after sham consultation in the same manner it proceeded
with the Procurement Act, the trafficking in persons Bill and the
recent Age of Consent Bill. It is time for the people to stand up
and protect their rights. Yesterday, the Leader of the
PNCR and a Party delegation met with several Organisations
representing the Indigenous people of Guyana on the New Draft
Amerindian Act 2004. Note
was taken of the many concerns which were advanced by the
representatives with respect to both the process and the results of
the consultations held so far between the Minister of Amerindian
Affairs and the people of the several Amerindian communities
throughout the ten Regions of Guyana. The PNCR is continuing its own
examination of the proposed legislation and will very shortly make
its views on the draft known.
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