Policy Forum Guyana today stood its ground over criticisms by President Irfaan Ali and his ministers over a statement that the NGO had issued calling for more accountability by the government.
A statement by Policy Forum Guyana follows:
Responses of Government spokespersons to the Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) release entitled “Civic Call for Autonomous & Independent Oversight of Extractive Sector” serve to confirm the essence of the concerns expressed by the signatory organizations.
Firstly, the response to the PFG statement repeated the long-standing PPP suspicion of civic organizations (faith-based, trade union, professional and other non-governmental organizations ) which seek to influence political decisions but are not seeking formal political power (political parties). It is a distinction widely recognized in democratic societies. Secondly, the official response reiterated that the criterion for political legitimacy in Guyana remains the perception of where organizations stood in the 2020 elections. Thirdly, the official reaction to the PFG Statement repeats the position that speed is prioritized over dialogue in political decision-making processes.
Rather than attack the message of the release, spokespersons for the Government have attacked the messengers. It is particularly distasteful that the likes of elderly religious women who run an orphanage, and the President of the Blind Society, people who provide care and support for the neediest in society, should be harassed into confusion by personnel of the Department of Public Information (DPI) for expressing their opinion. The behaviour of the DPI reinforces a central issue of the PFG release, namely, the erosion of public trust in information provided by State Agencies.
Ironically, the concern expressed in the PFG release over the appointment of the Director-designate of the GYEITI was prompted in part by his previous employment as Director of the DPI.
Policy Forum Guyana (PFG) issued a correction on March 4th. over the use of the name of the National Toshaos Council on the list of sponsoring names which read:
1. Due to poor communications with the interior, the name of the National Toshaos Council (NTC) was erroneously included and should be removed.
2. The name of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) should be added.
PFG apologizes for any inconvenience occasioned by these errors.
