THE fate of Opposition Member of Parliament, Bishop Juan Edghill, will be known when the Parliamentary Sessional Committee of Privileges meets on Thursday after a hiatus.

The meeting is set for 10:00hrs on Thursday November 1, 2018 at the Public Buildings. During that meeting, the Committee of Privileges, headed by Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, will conclude consideration of whether Edghill – a Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament – violated any of the Standing Orders, Customs, Practices and or Conventions of the National Assembly.

The committee, which also comprises representatives from both sides of the House, will determine what sanctions are available to the National Assembly of Guyana.
In May 2016, Edghill was sent to the Committee of Privileges by the speaker of the House following a motion by A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Member of Parliament, Charrandas Persaud, on the basis that the opposition MP had made statements in the National Assembly in December 2015 that were inaccurate.

Edghill in December, 2015 told the National Assembly that the increases given to government ministers totaled over $200M annually.
Persaud, who in his motion rejected Edghill’s claim, said that the statement misrepresented the salary increases allotted to the governing side. He also took note of the opposition MP’s refusal to withdraw the “inaccurate” statement thereby reportedly violating his privileges and standing orders.

Edghill had moved a motion requesting that the salary increases paid to government ministers be annulled. However, the motion was voted down by the government side.