President Bharrat Jagdeo is now inclined to move forward with the appointment of nominations to the four service commissions because of the government being blamed for the delay.
Jagdeo told the press yesterday that just before he left Guyana for the Special Meeting of the Heads of Government in Saint Lucia, Opposition Leader Robert Corbin had written to him on a number of issues and he had responded outlining government's position.
However, he said that unfortunately Corbin had been out of the country for the past week and a half and when he returned Jagdeo himself would be on his way to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Nigeria. The two of them, he said, would have to set a mutually acceptable time to consult but he reiterated that he was "inclined at this stage, because we are being blamed, to just forget the original proposal and go as per the constitution."
He said the parliament had approved the names of two representatives for the Public Service Commission but he could not move forward with appointments to the commissions because the chairman of the Public Service Commission would also sit on the Judicial Service Commission and the Police Service Commission. So that, he said, had held up movement on almost all of the commissions. Parliament's decision had cleared the way for him to move forward with the appointments.
However, in spite of parliament clearing the way he still could not move forward immediately because he had made a proposal to Corbin initially informally, then formally, at their last meeting two months ago in relation to the Police Service Commission. Jagdeo said that his proposal was that if "we agree to correct the mistake that was made, I am going to offer you one (each) of the three nominees on the TSC, the Police and Public Service Commissions."
He was referring to being prepared to have articles 200 and 207 of the constitution amended if the PNCR agrees to support an amendment to article 210 to correct an oversight when it was passed in 2001. The amendment to article 210 would add a provision allowing the President to appoint three persons after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. The amendments to articles 207 and 210 would, according to the President, accommodate a request by Corbin so that these provide for one of the three members the President appoints to both the Public Service Commission and the Teaching Service Commission to be persons the PNCR nominates.
He said Corbin undertook to get back to him on that. "Until he gets back to me I can't do anything. I'm still awaiting his response to this."
The constitution as it stands allows both of them to put up names for consideration.
"Maybe we have to consult in accordance with the constitution. I am at that point because we are being accused of the delays although he (Corbin) has not responded formally."
As for the Human Rights Commission, he noted that the chairman should come from a list that Corbin has to submit to him. Jagdeo said that at the consultations, Corbin promised to submit that list. He said that he recently received a letter stating that "because of the remuneration, which is a separate issue, a suitable name could not be found."
Meanwhile he said if there were differences the two parties had the mechanisms established to have representatives from both sides meet and remove the obstacles "rather than running to the press at every moment," he told reporters.