– Opposition Leader“If the government were serious, I believe people would come forward,” says Opposition Leader, Robert Corbin, adding “but the problem is, there is no evidence of any seriousness about the government to hold such an inquiry.”Corbin was at the time responding to a query on whether he was confident that witnesses would come forward if a local Commission of Inquiry were set up to investigate the ‘Phantom Squad’.On the other hand, Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira, said on Friday that Government will only call an independent Commission of Inquiry if evidence comes forward.Corbin, however, insists that his party has no confidence in the local authorities conducting an investigation. “We had initially called for a local Commission of Inquiry, but the behaviour of the Government in response to that has indicated very clearly that they have no intention of ensuring that the truth is discovered.”Referring to the Commission of Inquiry that was set up to investigate former Home Affairs Minister, Ronald Gajraj,Cheap Nike Air Max 90 Womens, Corbin stated that it was “…a skewered inquiry, to exonerate Ronald Gajraj rather than investigate the source of the Phantom Squad and the killings.“So no Guyanese, I believe, or very few, would have any confidence in the seriousness of the government, and their commitment to bringing out the truth at any inquiry. So whether people are willing to come forward or not is not the issue. It’s whether the government will be willing to set up the machinery to ensure that you have an impartial and truthful result.”Pointing out that the police were in receipt of statements, affidavits and tape recordings, Corbin said that nothing was done, and questioned. “How are people going to have confidence that they are going to carry out any investigations?”Observing that evidence is currently available in the US courts,China Jerseys, he re-emphasised the fact that the Guyana Police Force did not send an observer there during the Roger Khan and Simels trials to attempt to secure some help to local investigations.He declared “…even if they believed they would have difficulty in getting the authentic documents. It took the media in Guyana to expose these issues!”Corbin said that the behaviour of the Jagdeo administration over the past week has confirmed that it is unreasonable to expect that the Government of Guyana will be influenced by the UN to hold an inquiry of its own into the activities of the “phantom gang” that has been responsible for the killing of several hundred Guyanese between 2002 and 2006.The main opposition party reiterated its position that the only solution lies in an International independent and impartial Commission of Inquiry, and this will not be done unless the UN impose sanctions on the government.The United Kingdom and Canada issued the call for the inquiry at this year’s United Nations Human Rights Commission Annual Periodic Review Conference earlier this month. Several other countries supported the call.The Conference urged that independent impartial investigations be conducted into the many allegations of human rights abuses, including, the “phantom gang” killings, and recommended that Guyana obtain technical assistance from international and regional organisations for adequate implementation of an independent mechanism in conformity with the Paris Principles.Canada recommended that Guyana invite the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture to assess claims of torture in Guyana. Canada also recommended that,Wholesale Jerseys, in ensuring thorough and independent investigations of all allegations, account should be taken of the findings in the report of the United Nations Independent Expert on Minority Issues on the “phantom death squad.”Corbin states, however, that the failure of the Guyana Government to observe the guidelines in the preparation and presentation of the Guyana Report should have alerted the UN to the deception of the Guyana government.The PNCR leader also pointed out the conflicting reports issued by Guyana’s Foreign Minister, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett,Nike Shoes Clearance Sale, and Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon.Rodrigues-Birkett informed the UN Conference that Guyana would examine the recommendations to set up an independent commission to investigate the abuses allegedly committed by the “phantom squad” and provide responses no later than the 15th Session of the Human Rights Council in September this year.Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, on the other hand, stated on Thursday that the Government does not intend to hold any investigation other that those allegedly being conducted at present by the Guyana Police Force.Corbin also pointed to inconsistencies in the Guyana report that was presented to the Conference. The report placed emphasis on the revised Guyana Constitution, emphasising that it provides for the appointment of several Commissions, including,Camiseta Real Madrid Tienda, a Human Rights Commission by a consensual mechanism with participation from civil society.The report did not however,Cheap Manchester United Jersey 2018/19, enlighten the UN that the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), despite the elaborate constitutional provisions,Fc Bayern Trikot G��nstig, is unconstitutional and has been so for years. It did not advise the UN that a Chairman of the proposed Human Rights Commission has not been identified and why.“The greatest deception in the Guyana presentation to the Conference was the statement of the Minister that allegations of the “phantom squad” are currently being addressed and investigations are ongoing by the Guyana Police Force,” declared Corbin.“She also advised that the public should be invited to assist in providing information that will aid in the successful completion of the investigations. She failed to tell the Conference, however, that many statements were already in the possession of the Guyana Police Force, including sworn Affidavits, and this has been the case for a very long time and that there is a mountain of evidence in US Court records, which the Guyana Government has been very reluctant to obtain…”added the Opposition Leader.While the draft Conference report recommends that an independent commission, supported by international experts is necessary to investigate the allegations,” the PNCR remains convinced that only an International Inquiry under the auspices of the UN will yield any tangible and reliable results.Alternatively, the UN must be prepared to go a step further and impose sanctions until the PPP regime responds positively to their recommendations.” Corbin concluded.