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Luncheon leads PRSP consultation discussions on governance
THE Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) consultation on Governance and
Security was held yesterday at the Umana Yana in Georgetown. Leading the
discussions was Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon.
In his discussions, Dr Luncheon pointed out that several areas had been
highlighted during the consultation for the 2001 - 2006 period.
These included administration and issues to do with transparency and
accountability. In this regard, legislation had been enacted to deal with
the ambiguities and to repose statutory responsibility in individuals and
agencies to overlook these matters.
He pointed to the Public Procurement and Tender Board Act which gives
oversight to a number of persons holding Constitutional offices with
Parliament as the final oversight body.
The HPS acknowledged that there will always be concerns as to whether
management of public funds could be greater enhanced and the PRSP
consultations were meant to address those issues.
With regard to public administration, Dr. Luncheon said that some of these
issues were already addressed beyond what was recommended at the
consultations.
The creation of autonomous and semi-autonomous agencies were meant to make
their service delivery more efficient.
Dr Luncheon said, too, that in the area of political administration, it was
made mandatory for all public officers and Government functionaries to
declare the assets of themselves and their immediate family.
The issue to be resolved is the manner in which this declaration should be
made and what should be done with it. This, he said, is an issue that could
be decided by these consultations.
The need for Parliamentary reforms was also raised at the last consultation.
The steps taken so far included the strengthening and creation of
Parliamentary Committees, Rights Bodies and Commissions and giving them
oversight into the management of several functions of the State.
He acknowledged that all that was recommended was not achieved but said that
the changes to be realised was a 'work in progress'. There was an identified
need to have civil society more involved in the work of the State and
efforts will be made to address that.
Addressing the gathering, trade unionist Carvil Duncan acknowledged that
progress was taking place in the society.
These benefits, he said, will be felt as communities begin to reap the
rewards in the various social sectors.
Joseph Hamilton, of the PNCR, who attended in his capacity as a citizen,
expressed concern that the impact of the developments were not being felt in
the communities since there may be a disconnect between the consultations
and the 'ordinary citizens' and they may not be seeing immediate progress.
He suggested that community leaders be used to convey development plans to
communities.
Presidential Adviser on Governance, Ms. Gail Teixeira, in her contribution
stated that several safety net programmes that were implemented by
Government were not being accessed by the intended recipients since they did
not know about the programmes. She suggested that funding should be provided
for sensitizing persons about these programmes.
Additionally, surveys should be done on a regular basis to determine the
effectiveness of government services and programmes.
She also suggested that contracts for works in communities should be posted
up in public places in the communities so that persons could see the scope
of works and be the watchdogs of the government.
In wrapping up the discussion, Dr Luncheon admonished that the role of law
in conflict resolution and creating the conditions for poverty eradication
should never be overlooked. He said that the recent incidents in Lusignan
and Bartica have proven that there is a "mobilizable" force which could
contribute to the development of Guyana.
The PRSP consultations started in January and should have been completed in
three weeks but the massacres in Lusignan and shortly after in Bartica
caused them to be delayed. (GINA)
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