AFC backpedals on constitutional reform promise

One of the pillars of the Alliance For Chance (AFC) and the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) was the promise of constitutional reform. Three years later and that promise is not close to being delivered, with the AFC’s leadership revealing that other matters are of greater “priority.”
“There are good reasons why there are other matters before Parliament and we haven’t been meeting regularly for good reasons and that has stalled the process somewhat. But as we had indicated prior, we are going to fast as possible ensure the passage of that (constitutional reform) Consultation Bill so that the process of constitutional reform could start by the Commission going to the various areas across the country. I think that it will be done before the next election and we have to fast track it,” AFC Chairman Khemraj Ramjattan said on Friday.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo read the Constitutional Reform Consultative Commission Bill 2017 for the first time in the National Assembly on July 27, 2017 along with the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2017. The Constitutional Reform Consultative Commission Bill 2017 provides for the establishment of the Constitutional Reform Consultative Commission. The Bill seeks to support the Government’s goal of reforming the Constitution to be more inclusive, democratic and transparent, whilst removing all anomalies. In addition to the input from stakeholders, the Commissioners have considered and evaluated the submissions from the people of Guyana and acquired the benefits resulting from public consultations.
“I rather suspect the Opposition will support the Consultation Bill after which we will fast track the Commission and because we do not want a constitutional amendment without hearing from everyone,” Ramjattan said.
He added that they have their views while their partner APNU would have their views on the amendments but noted the need for widespread consultation.
“I will be fully occupied, but I will pay special attention to information and constitutional reform. Those are two big areas because we had promised the Guyanese people that we would have constitutional reform so I will pay special attention to that,” Prime Minister Nagamootoo had said at his swearing in ceremony in 2015.
“I want to start on humbling the powers of the President, the excess powers of the Executive and to bring about inclusion within the Government system,’ he had promised.

Local Government Elections
Meanwhile, as the talks between the coalition partners forge ahead, both parties are mum on the terms being negotiated. However, the AFC did say they have proposed nine major points to be negotiated upon with the upcoming Local Government Elections being the first item.
But when pressed on what they are going into the talk expecting, the AFC’s leadership at the press conference refused to entertain the question.
Senior sources in the AFC said the party is demanding 60 per cent of the total seats secured after the Local Government Elections. This demand comes after the AFC Councillors in the Georgetown Municipality have been sidelined by the APNU’s Councillors on a number of issues inclusive of the controversial parking meter project.
“We are in the process of submitting a proposal to the negotiation team headed by Minister David Patterson to have him seriously consider making this demand as a means of testing the sincerity and commitment of the APNU to the coalition. We didn’t get what we deserved after the last elections… but this time we are not playing games,” a senior AFC Executive told Guyana Times on Thursday morning during an interview.
Minister David Patterson is officially heading the AFC team while Minister of State Joseph Harmon is heading the APNU’s team. Both sides have agreed to keep the discussions and types of proposals which are being considered and made under wraps until the right time to avoid tension during the negotiations.