A CONSENSUAL MECHANISM

The Report of the Constitutional Reform Commission (CRC) dated July 17, 1997, recommended at clause 9.9.3.4. that the Chancellor and Chief Justice should be appointed through a ‘consensual mechanism.’ Both the Independence and the Burnham Constitutions had provided that for certain appointments, including the Chancellor (after the Court of Appeal and the post of Chancellor […]

CALLING THE GOVERNMENT’S BLUFF

It is no surprise that yet another objection by the Government has now suddenly emerged to the establishment of the Public Procurement Commission (PPC). After the AFC’s campaign and the Private Sector Commission’s public and forceful call, the Government has been on a propaganda blitz. It has paraded its record of legislation, publicized the work […]

VIRTUAL REALITY.

Guyana exists politically in a state of virtual reality. In the film The Matrix and in George Orwell’s novel, 1984, such realities were creatively and brilliantly portrayed.  The Government says to the Opposition, which has a majority in the National Assembly: You are obliged to pass my Budget but I’m not obliged to assent to […]

THE TRIPARTITE COMMITTEE

A Tripartite Committee, comprising the three political parties represented in the National Assembly, was appointed last year during the Budget controversy and is now revived. There was no agreement in 2012 on anything in relation to the 2012 Budget except for the aborted deal relating to pensions and Linden electricity rates. This unraveled when the […]

BUDGET BLUES

Formal exchanges of letters between the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, and the Shadow Minister of Finance, Mr. Carl Greenidge, seeking to fix a date for a meeting to discuss the proposed Budget, and the inevitable name calling when the exercise proved unsuccessful, ought to have alerted everyone that no serious discourse will take […]