House Speaker handed Indigenous Peoples’ Commission reports for 2013-2016
─ reports contain various recommendations for the legislature to be debated in Parliament
DPI, Guyana, Friday, November 8, 2019
The Speaker of the National Assembly and Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Dr. Barton Scotland, today received annual reports spanning 2013 to 2016 from the Indigenous Peoples’ Commission.
The simple ceremony was held in the Committee Two chambers at the Public Buildings, where Chairperson Doreen Jacobis, who represented the commission, presented the documents.
The reports are a critical part of the functions of the commission and contain information on the achievements and challenges they would have faced over the stipulated time frame.
The House Speaker outlined, directly from the Constitution of Guyana, the importance of this and other commissions.
“Under the constitution, Article 212 of the constitution, a number of rights commissions are established, the objective and I shall read directly from the provision of the constitution, the goals of the rights commissions are to strengthen social justice, and the rule of law.”
Speaker of the National Assembly and Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Dr. Barton Scotland receives the reports from Chairperson of the Indigenous Peoples’ Commission, Doreen Jacobis.
As it relates to the rule of law, the reports also contain various recommendations for the legislature to be debated in Parliament, this, however, cannot occur until it reconvenes. These parliamentary debates are vital for the growth of these commissions.
“It would be an excellent outcome for Parliament to debate, not just to receive their report but to debate the report because through debating the reports the commission, the persons who are members of that commission would learn the reaction of Parliament to their efforts,” the House Speaker explained.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Indigenous Peoples’ Commission, Neil Bacchus.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the commission, Neil Bacchus, is pressing for the formal establishment of the Human Rights Commission, which is instrumental in having these reports debated in Parliament. “We are hoping that these mechanisms can happen as quickly as possible. This can see the human rights commission quickly established, which can bring about a greater sense of appreciation for the works of these commissions.”
Parliament is currently in recess, and as such these reports should be presented for debate in the shortest possible time after it reconvenes.