A NUMBER of civil society organisations have identified political, financial and environmental accountability as three key areas the parties contesting the May 11 elections should endorse.

In a statement, the organisations say following two consultations, a range of recommendations to address issues of concern to the citizens of Guyana was condensed to a set of implementable priority issues.
The exercise aimed to engage political parties contesting the upcoming elections with a view to seeking their endorsements of recommendations.
The organisations, which include the African Cultural Development Association (ACDA), Blue Caps, Church Women United, Guyana Human Rights Association, National AIDS Committee and the Guyana Society for the Blind, said some of the priority issues could be implemented promptly, while others would require further examination.
While a formal engagement will be sought with parties, ownership of the recommendations rests with any citizen or groups interested in taking them up with the political parties whenever an opportunity presents itself, the organisations agreed.
It said sustainable development equals human rights combined with environmental rights.
Complacent and reckless exploitation of the earth, forests, rivers, wildlife and bio-diversity in the pursuit of individual wealth is neither ethical nor sustainable, the civic organisations say.
It noted that economic activity affecting the environment must be subordinate to the respect for life on earth as governed by human rights and the laws of nature.
The organisations are recommending that all international contracts in the extractive sector be reviewed to enforce conformity with improved environmental standards and the laws of Guyana; citizens must be educated on their responsibilities as the owners/guardians of environmental resources, recognise the rights of future generations; licenses for mining and forestry should only be granted in areas which can be effectively monitored and regulations enforced by the relevant Government agencies; mining bonds must cover the economic costs of environmental restoration; river mining should be banned; ban on Styrofoam should be enforced and strategies implemented for the reduction of plastics; and a national consultation on the future of the Guyana coastlands is urgently needed.
In the area of financial accountability, the civic organisations are recommending better salaries for public servants together with stringent penalties for bribe-taking.
The organisations also said that incentives should be available to whistle-blowers to encourage revelations of illegal and corrupt practices as well as to act as a deterrent to perpetrators and steps must be taken and the necessary standards enforced to transform the image, inefficiency and lack of professionalism of the Guyana Police Force.
Regarding political accountability, it was recommended that in any process of Constitutional Reform, attention should be paid to the creation of single-seat constituencies with a National List comprising only the number of names required to ensure over-all fairness in the distribution of seats.
The civic organisations also said the equality of males and females on lists of candidates must be reflected in the allocation of seats and GECOM Commissioners should be selected independent of party recommendations and subject to term limits.