Other resolutions passed at just concluded PPP congress include:
* Address UNDP’s role in divisive Social Cohesion Ministry
* Call for IDB to investigate deliberate contract re-tendering
* Support Govt’s position on Guyana-Venezuela controversy
* Urge international community to speak out against GECOM’s delaying
tactics on elections petition
During its recently concluded three-day Congress, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has agreed upon several resolutions that will see, among other things, the Party calling on the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to look into the coalition Government re-tendering contracts awarded for projects funded by the financial institution.
These resolutions emanated from several workshops held during the 31st Congress of the PPP held at Cotton Field, Essequibo, last weekend.
According to sources within the PPP, the Party agreed on a “Resolution calling on the Inter-American Development Bank to investigate the deliberate re-tendering of the institutions’ funded projects and the constant interference of the Government of Guyana in the evaluation process which subvert Guyana’s Public Procurement laws and processes.”
The second resolution is urging the international community to speak out against the repeated legal and procedural artifices utilised by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) to delay the hearing and determination of the PPP’s elections petition. This, the Party noted, is contrary to the advice given by certain members of the diplomatic community to the PPP – that they had received assurances from the judiciary that the said elections petition would be heard and determined expeditiously as provided for and in accordance with the laws of Guyana.
Following the May 2016 General and Regional Elections, which saw the PPP/C being ousted from office after 20 plus years, the Party filed the petition on June 24, 2015, in the name of Member Ganga Persaud. The petition is asking the court to grant a number of orders, including the nullification of the May 11 elections, as well as an order for new elections to be held.
Moreover, another resolution was passed calling upon the international community to support the necessary reforms which would ensure free and fair elections in Guyana in 2020. For decades now, election observer groups – both internationally and regionally – have been recommending that while the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) purpose for existence is to administer free and fair electoral processes, Guyana should consider reforms that would reduce or eliminate the politicised composition of elections body in order to ensure independence and impartiality.
Additionally, the fourth resolution agreed upon during the PPP Congress is urging the UNDP and other organisations which are offering technical advice and assistance to the Government of Guyana on social cohesion, to desist from collaborating in activities with the Social Cohesion Ministry that subvert, undermine or exclude the Ethnic Relations Commission; the constitutional organ, designed and intended to promote harmony among Guyanese of different ethnic backgrounds. “From all indications, this Ministry appears to be a slush fund for APNU/AFC’s political activities and has been nothing short of divisive in its outreaches and activities,” Party sources stated.
The Party has been calling for the Social Cohesion Ministry, headed by Government Chief Whip Amna Ally, to be scrapped, with Party General Secretary Clement Rohee saying that the PPP will ensure that the Ministry does not succeed in its divisive manipulative, deceitful and bribe-sharing, divisive efforts to divide Guyanese socially, politically and along religious lines ostensibly for electoral purposes.
“The PPP called for the scrapping of the Ministry of Social Cohesion since its principal role is to act as a smokescreen to promote racial and political discrimination in favour of the APNU/AFC,” Rohee had stated at one of the Party’s weekly press conferences.
Meanwhile, the other resolutions passed were in relation to racial and political discrimination, the crime situation, alliance politics and political morality.
On the other hand, the Congress of the PPP welcomed the decision of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to continue to pursue an agreement on the controversy in relation to the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy.
The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon disclosed last week that there will be one more year of mediation to make a final determination on the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy. If, however, the Good Officers process fails to do so by the end of 2017, then the matter will be taken to the International Court of Justice for a final decision.
According to the Party, “The PPP remains resolute in its support of and for any process intended and designed to protect the territorial integrity of our country.”
Meanwhile, the PPP in a statement on Tuesday, outlined that its Congress, held under the theme “Strengthen the Party, Defend Democracy, Onward to Victory”, was one of the largest in terms of the participation of delegates and observers.
It noted that one of the highlights of the Congress was the presentation of the Central Committee Report, which formed the basis for spirited and robust discussions at the several workshops. The main issues and recommendations from the workshops were presented to the plenary sessions for further deliberations, adoption and implementation.
Additionally, a new 35-member Central Committee and five-Candidate members were elected by secret ballot.
The Party added that the discussions both at the plenary and workshop levels centred on strengthening the Party politically and organisationally in order to win the next General and Regional Elections with an overwhelming majority.
“The Congress ended on a high note of optimism and confidence in the capacity of the Party to defend the democratic and economic gains of the Guyanese people in the ongoing struggle against the anti-people policies and programmes being implemented by the Granger-led APNU/AFC regime,” the statement from PPP outlined. (Guyana Times)
When a former Oppressive government is crying Foul,it exposes its own behaviour towards the Guyanese people when it was in power.For it,this Coalition government has done nothing of consequence for the time it has occupied the space,not two years yet.Anyway,only a FOOL,or someone Blind,cannot,and will not see any progress made.