Gobierno electo prepara investidura oficial y anuncia aumento salarial
Guyana informó que envió invitaciones a los mandatarios del Caribe y Suramérica para participar este 26 de mayo en la investidura oficial del presidente David Granger, ganador de las recientes elecciones generales.
Bobby Vieira, miembro del equipo organizador del evento, dijo a periodistas que esperan contar con la presencia de varios gobernantes en la ceremonia, la cual coincidirá con el aniversario 49 de la independencia nacional.
Según el funcionario, el programa de celebración comenzará con la colocación de ocho ofrendas florales en honor a quienes lucharon contra el Reino Unido por la soberanía del país y luego se realizará la posesión oficial de Granger.
Entre otras actividades, la jornada incluirá un espectáculo con los principales exponentes de la música guyanesa en el estadio nacional de Providence.
Granger, un general retirado de 69 años de edad, es el octavo presidente del país y condujo a la victoria al bloque compuesto por las alianzas por el Cambio y para la Unidad Nacional, en las elecciones generales y locales del pasado 11 de mayo.
Su coalición logró 207 mil 200 votos y rompió así con 23 años de mandato del Partido Progresista del Pueblo (PPP), que obtuvo el respaldo de 202 mil 694 ciudadanos.
Con esos resultados, la alianza gobernante aseguró la mayoría en la Asamblea Nacional, o sea 33 escaños.
El PPP -que estuvo en el poder desde 1992- será la oposición y controlará los restantes 32 asientos del parlamento unicameral.
Grand celebration for President Granger’s inauguration set for National Stadium– CARICOM, South American Heads of Gov’t to be in attendance
As Guyana begins the task of settling into a new dispensation, led by the new administration of President David Granger, plans have been announced for what will be the biggest celebration of the nation’s observance of its Independence anniversary, on May 26.
According to Bobby Vieira, who along with Col. Larry London, was appointed by the Head of State to plan this grand event, Heads of CARICOM and South America have been invited to witness, what will be a massive inauguration ceremony of the new President, set for the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.
During a press briefing today, at the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport’s, Main Street office, and in the presence of Permanent Secretary Alfred King, Vieira explained that the event is being planned to mark the 49th Independence anniversary, and the formal introduction of the new APNU+AFC Government, led by His Excellency, David A Granger, and will commence at approximately 3 pm.
From 3 to 5pm, the attendees of this event, (which is open to the public), will be entertained by local artistes. Approximately 15 minutes to 5pm, various foreign Heads of Government or State, are expected to arrive. Closer to 5 pm, the President’s motorcade will arrive, and immediately after he is seated, there will be a paratroopers’ performance with a special message for the President. Members of several school choirs, along with that of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport’s, numbering 400 strong will then converge on the field with a performance.
The Chairman of CARICOM (Caribbean Community,) possibly will then speak on behalf of various Heads of Government.
A representative each of the nine indigenous tribes of Guyana is to be lead by Yvonne Pearson, in a libation type ceremony that will serve as the official symbolic inauguration of President Granger. Vieira explained that this was the President’s idea, as he thinks it is fitting that the first people of Guyana be the one to officially inaugurate the new President and administration.
The President will then address the nation, following which Chief of Protocol, Vic Persaud will then make an announcement about this year’s National Award. A military retreat and fireworks will officially end the ceremony
Public Service salary increase will be realised -HPS -Designate Harmon
Acting Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Joseph Harmon, said that high on the agenda of the new A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government is a higher salary scale for public servants, and that it will materialise.
“We believe that (for) a quality public service you have to pay better. They (the public service workers) must be properly rewarded for their work. He said it is the coalition’s opinion that better pay will result in less corruption which would enable the country to become better, as “The increases in the hundred day plan, is a commitment which we gave to all the people who provide public service, which we will provide to get a proper public service.”
Money which was previously placed in the Consolidated Fund will furnish the salary increases, according to Harmon. He was at the time speaking during an interview with the National Communications Network on Monday.
He said, “We believe there is still a high level of corruption, and if we are able to reduce that, we can find the money to pay. Our economists have looked at the situation very carefully and said to us that we are capable of finding the money for paying these people.”
Asked about the Public Procurement Commission, Harmon said this unit will be established as soon as possible. “There is no reason why the Public Procurement Commission cannot be established. We are respectful of our constitution and the ‘no objection’ (as obtained previously) is not what we support.”
There are also plans to conduct long overdue Local Government Elections (LGE) according to the acting HPS. He said that “We will announce a date. We had protested in front of parliament and we will name a date, we believe that is an essential plank of our local democracy which will ensure that a more informed electorate will come forward to vote for a party.”
During its campaign, the ANPU/AFC touted its Ministerial Code of Conduct, and this Harmon said will be used to hold government ministers accountable for their actions. “We believe that if you are a minister, there must be some kind of code”, he observed, “which monitors the conduct which should be above board, which conforms with international best practices, that say to the people that you are committed to serving them and not yourself. All of the APNU/AFC MPs will subscribe to the code.”
Other issues such as the Berbice Bridge toll, the reduction of the president’s pension and the return of the television station to the people of Linden, will be sorted over the coming weeks, he said.
