PNCR will support freedom of info bill

The PNCR says it will support the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill tabled in Parliament by the Alliance For Change (AFC).

In a press release yesterday, the PNCR also sparked controversy by saying that

the tabling of the FOI Bill by the AFC was work that it had started by assigning the task of drafting such a bill to then PNCR executive member Raphael Trotman, now leader of the AFC. Trotman yesterday denied the claim.

In the release, the PNCR said that the October 1, 2007 editorial of the Stabroek News does not reflect the history and the facts surrounding the bill’s preparation. The party in giving its version of the background to the bill said that although it was tabled by the AFC, it would support it because it had its origins in the PNCR.

“The PNCR wishes to make it clear that the leadership and the party continue to be in support of Freedom of Information legislation,” the release said.

The PNCR took issue with the Stabroek News editorial which said that “neither of the two major parties seems to have the appetite for it (the FOI bill).” The PNCR stated that the bill had its origins “in a decision taken by the late Leader, Mr. Hugh Desmond Hoyte, and the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the PNCR to assign a team, led by Mr. Raphael Trotman, the responsibility for drafting such a bill. The intention of the party, based on the draft from Mr. Trotman and his team, was to place such a bill before the National Assembly.”

The PNCR said that Trotman then changed his political affiliation, and in co-founding the AFC, tabled the bill in the name of his new party. It was tabled twice and is still awaiting consideration.

The release said that “Stabroek News would appreciate, therefore, that even though the bill was tabled by the AFC the PNCR would support it. It is quite possible that the Stabroek News is unaware of these prior developments, or, perhaps its penchant for ascribing negative motives to the PNCR has led it into the error of asserting that the party is not supportive of this piece of legislation.”

The PNCR said it was important to note that it has been demanding that the Parliamentary Management Committee, which includes an AFC representative, be allowed to exercise its responsibility for the business of the National Assembly, including the scheduling of its sittings. “Unfortunately, this situation does not yet obtain and opposition bills, such as the (FOI Bill), remain casualties (of) the government’s manipulation of the sittings of the National Assembly.”

Asked to comment on the PNCR’s release last evening, Trotman told Stabroek News that “The PNCR has now agreed to publicly state its support for the bill after having been written to about it since 2006.”

Trotman tabled the bill in November 2006. It was first tabled during the eighth parliament by then expelled PPP member and PPP/C MP Khemraj Ramjattan but it died a natural death on the dissolution of parliament in May 2006 to make way for the August 2006 general and regional elections.

Stabroek News on August 9, 2007 had reported Trotman as saying that when the bill was tabled in November last year it was put on hold because when it was scheduled to come up for debate the PPP/C had indicated that their MPs were not going to support it. He had said that he had written letters to Leader of the Opposition and PNCR Leader Robert Corbin and PPP General Secretary Donald Ramotar “several months ago seeking their support for the bill, however, he had not had a reply from either of them.”

Yesterday, he told Stabroek News that he still had had no reply from Ramotar and yesterday’s statement from the PNCR was the first public response supporting the bill in the AFC name that he has heard. He said that he intends to bring the bill to the fore when parliament resumes on October 10.

Addressing the PNCR’s claims, Trotman said that based on the minutes of the Central Executive Committee meetings that he has since he was a member “there is no reference of me ever being given such a high appointment. I challenge them to produce the record. I find it incredulous that this petty claim would be made right now.”

He recalled that around 1998 there had been a discussion between then leader Desmond Hoyte and PNCR CEC member Deryck Bernard on FOI legislation but it was never pursued with him.

He said, “I was never the head of any group charged with the responsibility of preparing such a bill and never therefore took with me any draft or a draft of any other bill which had been prepared. I also now openly request that the party publishes the minutes of the party’s Central Executive Committee meeting where it would show, when, or, if at all, this issue was discussed and decided on.”

It was important to note, Trotman said, that the FOI bill, which was laid in parliament in the eighth and current parliament was done with the help of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative headquartered in India. He said, “They made available their lawyers and they were the ones who worked with me and the AFC. To hear the PNCR claiming it is amazing.”

The Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative has written letters to President Bharrat Jagdeo, Prime Minister Sam Hinds and members of parliament seeking their support for the bill which Trotman said he has circulated. The letters also asked for a conscience vote. The bill was patterned on India’s Freedom of Information Act.