"The National Assembly of the Parliament of Guyana, like the country itself is at the cross roads." by Sheila Holder, MP

The National Assembly of the Parliament of Guyana, like the country itself is at the cross roads. While at one level genuine efforts are being made to attain for this institution the premiere place the Constitution assigns it, insecure forces within the PPP/C are at work retarding those efforts.

Regrettably, in the eyes of citizens this situation has courted not only the belief that the National Assembly is a waste of time but also that efforts made by Members of Parliament generally are of little benefit to them.

Given this perception it should come as no surprise that the AFC has been accused from time to time by various letter writers and columnists of investing too much time in the National Assembly, of failing to understand the political reality that little or nothing could be achieved in the National Assembly given the majoritarian attitude of the governing party, thus warning the AFC was heading for the road of oblivion traversed by other third parties before it;

And more recently, the AFC was accused of betraying the National Stakeholder’s Agreement by walking out of parliament because the Government refused to incorporate in the Motion Article 13 of the Constitution and which item 3 & 4 of the Stakeholder’s agreement with President Jagdeo spoke to – namely: -

Item (3) Convene and activate the Parliamentary Constitutional Reform Committee to address issues presently before it and to examine further areas for constitutional reform;
Item (4) Ensure meaningful and effective participation of civil society in these parliamentary processes.

How could the AFC be accused of betraying the stakeholder’s when, along with the other opposition parliamentary parties, we responded to the invitation of the Prime Minister to propose amendments to the National Stakeholder’s Motion standing in his name and proposed that which items (3) & (4) of the Stakeholder’s statement with President Jagdeo encapsulated in their press release. And when our Representatives, Messrs David Patterson and Everall Franklyn, proposed in discussions with Ms Gail Teixeira on the matter that we go back to the stakeholders for their concurrence with the inclusions we proposed and that were being rejected by the Government?

The reality is there’s a nexus between these Constitutional governance issues we proposed and the public safety and security issues which the stakeholder’s want addressed. A 2007 World Bank study on gun violence stated that with a reduction in crime rates, the Caricom region would see a 5.4% rise in their economy. Given these realities it was incumbent on the AFC as a responsible parliamentary opposition party to jolt the PPPC Government into understanding that the continued misuse of the State media and their refusal to activate Article 13 of the Constitution was thwarting the Constitution, the democratic process and putting us all at further risk.

As a responsible parliamentary party it is also incumbent on us to enlighten Mr. Kenneth Joseph, the General Secretary of FITUG, and citizens who desire to see Guyana take the road to some semblance of democratic stability to ensure that the PPPC Government they elected maintain its part of the social compact to exercise fairly and responsibly, the temporary use of governmental powers which was given to them.

The expression of displeasure with the AFC for ‘walking out of Parliament’ highlights that it is incumbent on civil society to ascertain the truth and not fall prey to the propagandistic misuse of the State media by the PPPC in misrepresenting the facts while acting tyrannically in the National Assembly to give cause for such action; and perhaps others which leaders such as Dr. Cheddie Jagan took when in anger and frustration he threw down the law books and the Mace, a symbol of the Speaker’s authority.

What has FITUG and those who criticized the AFC have to say about the disregard demonstrated for the authority of the Speaker when recently in the National Assembly Ministers Clement Rohee, MP and Ashni Singh, MP challenged his authority? When last Wednesday, March 26 Prime Minister Sam Hinds brazenly vocalized contempt for the National Assembly held by the PPPC Government in their decision to arbitrarily overturn the decision of the National Assembly as per Resolution No. 69 which was passed in the National Assembly two and a half years ago calling for a full and impartial investigation into the death of Dr. Walter Rodney. And further, when he as Prime Minister misrepresented Dr. Patricia Rodney and her children’s position on their desire for Dr. Walter Rodney’s death to be investigated. Now let the ‘Peeping Tom’ and FITUG tell us who is ‘sending the wrong message’ and ‘who should apologise to the Stakeholders’.

As stated in all of its press releases on the matter, the AFC stands firmly committed to honouring the Stakeholder’s Agreement and expect implementation of its specific terms and all consequential matters thereon and remains ready and willing to proceed on the basis of sincerity, trust and respect.