Public urged to disassociate itself from ‘farcical’ civil society summit
THE Guyana National Civil Society Council, purported to be a body under the Guyana National Council on Public Policy (GNCPP), is slated to host a National Civil Society Summit today.
However, the Office of the President (OP), in a statement yesterday, made clear that it is unaware of the existence of the group and the “locus standi” of the organisation in Guyana.In addition,OP has urged members of the public to “disassociate themselves from this farcical event” and not to participate.
SHADY CHARACTER
Phillip Mozart Thomas, the organiser behind the activity, has made public statements about the event on Monday and contends that his group aims to take corrective steps to rid the many deficiencies in the society.
However, the Office of the President, in its statement contends that Thomas has “been found to be of shady character” – a contention that was supported by checks.
The statement said: “Further, it has been brought to the attention of the Office of the President that qualifications Mr. Thomas purports to possess are highly suspicious. Research has revealed that the institutions where Mr. Thomas purported to have received his qualifications are unknown institutions, and lack well established bona fides.
“…Mr. Thomas is known to have questionable international connections from whom funding is being given to Mr. Mozart for the purpose of this specific event at the Guyana International Conference Centre.”
Also, in the past, Thomas was well known as one of the aspirants who had publicly declared an interest in replacing Mr. Robert Corbin as Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform, which is now led by Brigadier (rtd) David Granger.
PSC UNAWARE
Additionally, top officials within the Private Sector Commission (PSC), while admitting knowledge of the Summit being planned, told the Guyana Chronicle that as a major constituent representative of civil society it has no knowledge of the organisation, nor do they know anything about its mandate.
The Council is slated to have 62 members, who will be mandated to speak in unison as they represent the collective interest of civil society in accordance with the law.
One of the members is former PSC Chairman, Gerry Gouveia, who told this newspaper that he knows nothing about the organisation.
“I have no idea about it. Like everyone else, I heard it when the advertisement was placed in the papers first. After that I got a letter that invited me to the Summit, but I know nothing about the group,” he said.
Like Gouveia, many other persons and organisations whose names have appeared either as speakers and to whom invitations were sent,have indicated that they are unaware of the reason why their names were publicised to give the impression that they are supporting the ‘summit.
extracted from the Guyana Chronicle