THE Speaker, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran reported, at the final 2010 sitting of the National Assembly, last Thursday, that the House had a relatively successful year with the legislative changes advanced.
In his report to Members of Parliament (MPs), he said, for that year, there were 31 sittings, during which two new members took the oath of office and 29 bills were passed, seven considered by Special Select Committees and five still under consideration.
“All 29 bills passed by the Assembly were assented to by His Excellency the President,” Ramkarran said.
He said, of the 29, 25 were introduced in 2010.
Ramkarran said 40 motions were approved by the House, 14 tabled by the Government, three by the Opposition and 19 by committees.
He said four motions were not proceeded with and remain outstanding on the Order Paper which guides the proceedings of the House.
“One motion, that is, Criminal Responsibilities of HIV/AIDS Infected Individuals was referred, by the National Assembly, to a Special Select Committee,” Ramkarran informed.
He said, too, that a total of 115 committee meetings were held by the different Parliamentary Sub-Committees.
According to him, as a result of work done by the committees, three important commissions were established, on Rights of the Child, Women and Gender Equality and Indigenous Peoples.
He said, also at sittings, 68 papers and reports were laid in the House, among them annual reports, loan agreements and other policy documents submitted by various Government ministries and departments.
Ramkarran said the House received 17 reports from the Parliamentary Committees, including periodic ones and there were 44 questions, 33 written and 11 oral, answered.
“All questions submitted to the Assembly were answered. Only one oral question without notice was not answered,” he disclosed.
Ramkarran gave the assurance that the National Assembly will continue to serve the Guyanese people as best it can, providing a forum for discussions, on national issues, to all political forces.