Civil Society Forum launched
The Civil Society Forum (CSF), a new coalition of organisations, was formally launched on January 16, 2021 at a meeting held at the Catholic Life Centre.
Six organisations signed an MOU that sets out the purpose, objectives, structure and modus operandi of the CSF.
A release yesterday from CSF said that the six organisations are:
1. Electoral Reform Guyana (ERG)
2. Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC)
3. Heal Guyana
4. Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO)
5. Roman Catholic Church
6. Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI)
The opportunity for other organisations to join the CSF remains open following the launch, the release said.
The release added that CSF was set up to work towards realising Article 13 of the Constitution of Guyana. This article states that:
“The principal objective of the political system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens, and their organisations in the management and decision-making processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their well-being.”
For years a number of civil society groups have lobbied for the full expression of this Article without success.
In keeping with Article 13, the release said that CSF will focus primarily on “creating a truly inclusionary democracy that serves as a vehicle for citizens to participate in the decision-making process of the state”. This focus will lead CSF to work on civic empowerment and participation, constitutional and legal reform, and with state institutions, the release said.
“Civil society groups have tirelessly and voluntarily been giving back to Guyana. The CSF does not aim to replace these groups, compete with them, or represent them. Rather, the CSF seeks to reinforce their efforts by providing a Forum whereby groups can coordinate, collaborate, cooperate, and reinforce each other’s efforts through shared priorities that are identified through consensus, all with a view to enhancing the participation of citizens in the decision-making processes of the State”, the release said. CSF can be contacted by sending an email to ‘civilsocietyforumgy@gmail.com’.