– criticizes fruitless civil society meeting with PresidentThe Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has criticized last week’s meetingPresident Donald Ramotar and Government officials during the meeting with civil society organizations last week.between President Donald Ramotar and representatives of civil society.The meeting last week Tuesday was to apprise the various bodies of the President’s decision to prorogue or suspend Parliament. The proroguing was done so that the Administration can have dialogue on key issues that had been stymieing work in the National Assembly. Several legislations are in limbo.However, the Opposition had viewed the move by President Ramotar as a pre-emptive one to avoid a no-confidence motion that could have resulted in snap elections being called if it was debated.Following his announcement to prorogue Parliament for six months, the President had met with a number of key stakeholders, including civil society.According to the GHRA,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, failure of the meeting with selected civil society organizations to discuss the political crisis predictably resulted in no conclusions.“The meeting took place in the wrong place with the wrong people. There is no substitute for the Government speaking to the elected representatives of the people in Parliament,Wholesale Jerseys, rather than random groupings of the people themselves. That the meeting occurred in the OP (Office of the President) aptly symbolizes reversal of the constitutional reform process that devolved Presidential powers to Parliament.”GHRA pointed out that the failure of the meeting to convey any clear message to the President also prompted questions about the lack of coherent and sustained involvement of civil society as a sector in political life in general.“As a sector, our routine silence in everyday politics, for example, over short-comings in the health and education services,Wholesale Jerseys, abuse of the media licensing process and other social and economic issues, has left us ill-prepared to comment constructively on a political crisis.”While pent-up frustration over the “disreputable state of political life” in Guyana repels both the average citizen and civic bodies from political engagement,NFL Jerseys Outlet, evasion is not a constructive option. “Nor is the fact that loyalty to party leaders has supplanted political accountability to electors. Taken together, however, these factors have served to distance citizens from politics,Cheap NHL Jerseys, robbing them of opportunities to transform undemocratic politics and infuse the political culture with democratic values and practices.”GHRA urged civic and religious organizations to re-commit to a continuous process of rehabilitating civic life based on values-driven solutions.“In addition to re-invigorating political life,China NFL Jerseys, more systematic engagement would also generate the leadership and advocacy skills required in times of crisis. Finally,nfl jerseys china, civil society playing a continuous role will lay the groundwork for addressing the serious constitutional and political reforms required for long-term stability.”The civil society grouping comprised representatives drawn from the private sector, unions and religious bodies.
