The Bauxite Industry Development Company (BIDCO) building is currently being rehabilitated to house all five of the constitutionally mandated rights commissions, Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon said on Wednesday.
Dr Luncheon made these comments at his post-Cabinet press briefing at the Office of the President. According to a press release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) currently only the Ethnic Relations Commissions is located at the BIDCO building.
“The Queenstown, three-storey facility would house the offices of the chairpersons, CEOs (Chief Executive Officers) and the staff of the Secretariat of the following four commissions: the Rights of the Child Commission, the Women and Gender Equality Commission, the Indigenous Peoples Commission and the Human Rights Commission,” Dr Luncheon said.
Earlier this year, he had said that the five constitutional rights commissions would be in place and functional before the end of the current session of the Ninth Parliament. The only Rights Commissions left to be established are the Indigenous Peoples Commission and the Human Rights Commission.
Dr Luncheon had indicated that theconstitution of the Indigenous Peoples Commission can be expected soon, and thereafter the president and Opposition leader will meet to select the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission, with other members being chairpersons of the other four constitutional rights commissions. According to GINA President Bharrat Jagdeo had said that “These Commissions will significantly enhance the enforcement mechanisms for the bodies of rights that we already have.”
