–against Subject Minister’s better judgement

SHADOW Education Minister and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Member of Parliament (MP) Amna Ally indicated the Opposition’s desire to have the Education Bill, which was tabled in the National Assembly at the last sitting on June 19, deferred.Ally contended that the Bill cannot be discussed in the absence of accompanying regulations, and when the Bill came up for consideration yesterday,Education Minister Priya Manickchand moved that the Bill be deferred as requested.

The Education Bill, the first of its kind since Guyana gained Independence, is intended to repeal the Education Act; reform the legal framework for education in Guyana; and provide an effective system of education relevant to the needs of the people.

In an invited comment, Ally said, “The Education Bill cannot be discussed without the regulations being put, and we are not prepared to deal with the Education Bill in the absence of regulations.

‘Nothing prevents us as a Parliament from studying the Education Bill as it is, making amendments; not making amendments and coming back to the House and deciding what we are going to do with it, which includes passing it so that it can become an Act’ – Education Minister, Priya Manickchand

“I am waiting on the Minister to forward the regulations, and as soon as that comes, we will deal with it.”

However, the Education Minister rejected this requirement as a solid basis for deferring the Bill. Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle, she said, “Nothing prevents us as a Parliament from studying the Education Bill as it is, making amendments; not making amendments and coming back to the House and deciding what we are going to do with it, which includes passing it so that it can become an Act.”

According to the Minister, the regulations are usually something that is subsidiary to an act, so regulations cannot be brought to the House and laid if they don’t have a parent law. She explained that Government was in possession of draft regulations, and would be happy to share those drafts with APNU; but she contended that passage of the bill cannot depend on the regulations.

The Minister stressed that bills are brought all the time, are studied without regulations, and are considered on their individual merit. As such, she noted, “Nothing prevents us as a Parliament from studying the Education Bill as it is, making amendments; not making amendments, and coming back to the House and deciding what we are going to do with it, which includes passing it so it can become an Act.”

The 126-page Bill includes legislative provisions for several first-time undertakings, and addresses several areas, ranging from administration of the sector to special-needs education. And in regard to the latter, the Bill outlines the determination of special educational needs, special needs appeals, and the establishment of a council on special education.

(Ravin Singh)