Early this year Government had given assurance that the vacant position of Ombudsman would have been filled by March. Just over one and a half months later the process seems to be well on its way to fruition.
This is in light of a meeting early this morning between President David Granger and Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.
Information emanating from the Ministry of the Presidency state that as mandated by the Constitution of Guyana, the President met with the Leader of the Opposition at State House to discuss the appointment of the Ombudsman.
President David Granger and Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, shake hands ahead of their meeting this morning.
According to Article 191 (1) of the Constitution, “The Ombudsman shall be appointed by the President acting after consultation with the Minority Leader.”
Retired Justice Winston Moore, who served as the last Ombudsman, died in September 2016, rendering the position vacant.
An Ombudsman is an official usually appointed by the government or by Parliament but with a significant degree of independence. This official is charged with representing the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints of maladministration or violation of rights.
The typical duties of an Ombudsman are to investigate complaints and attempt to resolve them. The Ombudsman, in some instances, also aims to identify systemic issues leading to poor service or breaches of people’s rights.