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Joseph Harmon

Leader of the Opposition Joseph Harmon

May 9 ,2021

Source

Saying that opposition supporters are concerned, Leader of the Opposition Joseph Harmon has written the International Republican Institute (IRI) to request a full briefing on the recently announced 18-month electoral reform project that it is implementing here.

Harmon’s request to IRI Resident Programme Director Dorota Ryzy comes on the heels of the announcement of the project by the United States Embassy, which said that the U.S Department of State is supporting the project.

The Embassy had said the project is intended to strengthen the capacity of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and the Attorney General’s Chambers regarding electoral processes, and to encourage civil society organizations (CSOs) to advocate for electoral reform in accordance with regional and international standards. “Through this project, GECOM, the Attorney General’s Chambers, and Guyanese CSOs will collaboratively consolidate and improve local electoral and constitutional law knowledge, establish an internal timeline to address electoral reform, improve collaboration for joint advocacy actions, and prioritize electoral and constitutional law issues while promoting reform through citizen engagement,” it noted.

In his letter, dated May 7, 2021, Harmon said the APNU+AFC coalition represents close to 50% of the Guyanese electorate and the announcement has caused “considerable unease and anxiety” among them.

Harmon added that the coalition fully supports electoral reform in Guyana, but is of the view that it has to be done in full consultation with the opposition.

“We are not optimistic that this will be the approach of the PPP/C Administration however, since President Ali has indicated that he will not be consulting with the APNU/AFC unless the Opposition acknowledges his Administration as legitimate,” he explained.

It is against this background that he requested that coalition be fully briefed on the Terms of Reference for the project and the mechanisms for consultations with the opposition. He also requested to meet with the IRI at the earliest opportunity to receive the brief.  

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@Django posted:

Harmon seeks full disclosure on US-backed electoral reform project

Joseph Harmon

Leader of the Opposition Joseph Harmon

May 9 ,2021

Source

Saying that opposition supporters are concerned, Leader of the Opposition Joseph Harmon has written the International Republican Institute (IRI) to request a full briefing on the recently announced 18-month electoral reform project that it is implementing here.

“We are not optimistic that this will be the approach of the PPP/C Administration however, since President Ali has indicated that he will not be consulting with the APNU/AFC unless the Opposition acknowledges his Administration as legitimate,” he explained.

Perhaps if Joseph Harmon, Leader of the Opposition, does not recognize the present administration of government, why he-Harmon expects to have profound dialogues between the Government and the Opposition.

FM
@Former Member posted:

Perhaps if Joseph Harmon, Leader of the Opposition, does not recognize the present administration of government, why he-Harmon expects to have profound dialogues between the Government and the Opposition.

Since when the Opposition have to recognize the Government to have discussion on the affairs of the country ?

Django
@Django posted:

Since when the Opposition have to recognize the Government to have discussion on the affairs of the country ?

World-wide established procedures for the functioning of parliaments .

While opposition political parties' views may differ on a government, they fully participate with the said government in parliament until such time that there is another election to determine the future government.

FM
@Former Member posted:

World-wide established procedures for the functioning of parliaments .

While opposition political parties' views may differ on a government, they fully participate with the said government in parliament until such time that there is another election to determine the future government.

The opposition political parties are participating in parliament ,matter closed recognizing the Ali government.

Django
Last edited by Django
@Django posted:

The opposition political parties are participating in parliament ,matter closed recognizing the Ali government.

Participating in parliament and recognition of the government -- two separate and distinct processes/activities.

FM
Last edited by Former Member
@Former Member posted:

Participating in parliament and recognition of the government -- two separate and distinct processes/activities.

Please read my question . Looks like beating around the bush.

Django

Jango, seems to me Harmon has recognized the PPP government in many ways already! He's only playing with semantics! Maybe Witless Willie, the mathematical wizard, is advising him!

FM
@Former Member posted:

Jango, seems to me Harmon has recognized the PPP government in many ways already! He's only playing with semantics! Maybe Witless Willie, the mathematical wizard, is advising him!

Witless Willie will not resurface gone into retirement.

When PPP lost power in 2015 ,they boycotted parliament ,then decided to attend calling the government de-facto ,table turned they want recognition.

Django
Last edited by Django
@Ramakant-P posted:

The PNC never gave full disclosure of anything. They like to flex their muscles when they are in opposition.

Which era ?

That's what opposition parties in government do ,they keep the governing parties in check.

Django
@Ramakant-P posted:

The PNC never gave full disclosure of anything. They like to flex their muscles when they are in opposition.

@Django posted:

Which era ?

That's what opposition parties in government do ,they keep the governing parties in check.

Perhaps, politics in Guyana.

=================

Full disclosure of contract

Dear Editor,

Guyanese ought to know that the APNU/PNC/AFC Government stifled democracy when it signed a contract with EXXONMobil but refused to disclose its details.

Such abuse of power enables Government to evade accountability. What else? Like most Guyanese, I am befuddled why this contract is not available through the Freedom of Information Act.

Government’s dysfunctional decision is unsurprising. A review of a series of questions arising exclusively from Government’s reprehensible track record reveals why it is necessary that Government must disclose the full details of this contract. First, how can any Guyanese trust this Government when it abused over billion from the Contingency Fund? Second, how can any Guyanese trust this Government when it purchased a whopping .6 billion in pharmaceutical supplies in 2016 without tender? Third, how can any Guyanese trust this Government when it purchased from ANSA McAL another 5 million in drugs without tender? Fourth, how can any Guyanese trust this Government when it awarded hush-hush scholarships exclusively to its ministers and to its military friends, while our youths live in despair? Fifth, how can any Guyanese trust this Government when it uses scarce dollars from a 14% VAT on education to rent a useless bottom house drug bond from an alleged political donor for at least 12.5 million per month? Sixth, how can any Guyanese trust this Government when its vindictive minister was caught pelting bottles at citizens to cause injury in an ugly street brawl? Seventh, how can any Guyanese trust this Government when it abuses its powers to silence citizens? Last but not least, how can any Guyanese trust this Government when it selfishly awarded itself a whopping 50% salary increase, but gave the working poor a meagre increase of only 5%?

Government needs to release the full details of this contract amid its moral shortcomings and mental anguish in this country.

Another review of Government’s notorious track record makes a compelling case why Government needs to disclose the oil contract in its entirety. Editor, how can any Guyanese trust this Government when its hiring practices are discriminatory? Yet another review of Government’s diabolical track record reveals that Government is two-faced and has an affinity for double-standards. We all know that when Government was the Opposition, it vigorously and compulsively fought against lack of transparency and authoritarianism, etc. Today, Government revels in such flaws. For example, Government’s failure to disclose the full details of the ExxonMobil contract is a clear case of a lack of transparency. Also, Government’s repeated rejection of qualified candidates for the GECOM chairmanship is a clear demonstration that Government has no regard for democracy.

Clearly, Government’s lack of consistency, credibility and unethical standing render it untrustworthy. Further, social cohesion can never flourish under this Government because Government lacks transparency, accountability and integrity.

This contract belongs to every Guyanese, not Government. Government must release it in its entirety.

Moreover, Government needs to drop its absurdity. ExxonMobil will never drill in disputed waters, that is not how Exxon

Mobil operates. Government’s contention that if this contract is made public it will cause disputes is simply a deceitful ploy to evade accountability. Government’s behaviour is powered by dysfunction. The citizens of this country will not buy any fiction from Mr Trotman. Guyanese cannot afford to swallow any more lies from this government. Government needs to release the full details of this contract.

Editor, how can there be any incentives to keep such a dysfunctional Government in power? Absolutely, there are none. But countless incentives abound when power is stripped away from such a destructive Government. And this we need to do for the betterment of our country and its people.

Yours sincerely,

Annie Baliram

FM

"Second, how can any Guyanese trust this Government when it purchased a whopping .6 billion in pharmaceutical supplies in 2016 without tender? Third, how can any Guyanese trust this Government when it purchased from ANSA McAL another 5 million in drugs without tender?"

This looks like the sins of the previous government must fall on the shoulders of the current Government. It happened in 2017 by the Coalition Government of APNU/AFC.

R

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