PRESS BRIEFING

Thursday, October 23, 2003

A G E N D A

1. CONTRACTS

2. POSTPONEMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS

3. PARLIAMENT

4. POST-COMMUNIQUÉ

CONTRACTS

Cabinet offered its No-objection to the following contracts being awarded.

WORKS
2003-10-21
TAXIWAY LIGHTING, CHEDDI JAGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, TIMEHRI
US$227,065.28

 

WORKS
2003-10-21
REHABILITATION OF THE PAVEMENT AND LIGHTING INSTALLATION WORKS: CHEDDI JAGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, TIMEHRI
US$143,438.00

POSTPONEMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS 2003

Cabinet has accepted the draft Bill by the Minister of Local Government that when enacted, would extend the date for Local Government elections beyond 2003.

The postponement is expected as the requirements of the Constitutional Reform Process for Local Government elections have yet to be met.

The Bipartisan Task Force for Local Government Reform has indicated in a recent interim report to the leading of its progress.

Importantly, the recruitment of a legal draftsman to produce the draft legislation was identified.

Broad agreement was reached on one of the other outstanding matters, that is, Reform of the Electoral System at the Local Government level that is, village and community if requested; NDC and Municipalities.

The other matter deals with fiscal transfer to Local Government Bodies. There are indications that the Task Force may be bringing its work to an end soon.

The next Local Government elections will be at the earliest in 2004.

PARLIAMENT

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs informed Cabinet that the first session of Parliament, since the end of its 2003 recess would take place on Thursday, October 23, 2003.

Parliament sittings would continue at the Ocean View Convention Centre since the restoration work on the roof is incomplete.

The sitting should see an expansion of the Standing Orders to allow the Revenue Authority Amendment Bill 2003 to be taken through its second reading and remaining stages at the October 23rd sitting.

POST-COMMUNIQUÉ REPORT

The postponed meeting of President Jagdeo and Mr. Corbin is now planned for Friday morning, October 24, 2003.

Outstanding matters identified in the Press Statement after the last meeting and in the matrix of completed tasks fully published in the local media, will be further considered. Since that meeting, the Government of Guyana has agreed with UNDP on the TOR of the planned Needs Analysis of Parliament in light of the demands of the Constitutional Reform Process.

Arising from that study, work to be done in the Parliament Building will likely to be done at the same time with the rehabilitation of the roof of the Chamber.

Significantly, the agreement of the President with Mr. Corbin on dissolving the Linden Municipality has run into legal questioning, courtesy of the embattled Mayor of the Municipality.