THE Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) are just seeking to prove a point via their one seat majority and the events that unfolded in the House yesterday were an effort through the back door to stymie government’s work. These were sentiments expressed last evening by Government MPs. They were at the time speaking on the National Communications Network’s ‘Inside Parliament’ programme that saw the participation of Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee and Agriculture Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy.
Some describe it as an unprecedented move of House Speaker Raphael Trotman to have the gag motion against Minister Clement Rohee sent to the Privileges Committee for further discussions.
This committee which was set up to address matters of parliamentarians who disrespect or offend the House or parliamentary Speaker is being asked to erroneously address the vagaries of the gag motion against Minister Rohee, according to the Prime Minister.
“They have no basis other than the fact that they have 33 seats and we have 32,” the Prime Minister stated.
He expressed his wish that with the next sitting due to take place on December 16, a speedy resolution to the issue is obtained as Minister Rohee is effectively barred from addressing any parliamentary sitting until it is resolved.
Dr Ramsammy was also ‘blunt’ in his comments, saying it was a sad day for the country and its people, while challenging Alliance For Change’s members Khemraj Ramjattan and Moses Nagamootoo, in particular, to ask their Berbice supporters “if they voted for them to gag Rohee”.  He added that freedom of democracy is being threatened as even the House Speaker Trotman had stated quite clearly that only the President could remove the Home Affairs Minister from his post and questioned the reason for his (Speaker) sending of the issue to the Privileges Committee.
“It is the freedom of our country…. That’s what we have struggled for and people have given their lives for; this is what is at stake today,” Minister Ramsammy stated. 
Also commenting was Minister Rohee, who noted that his position on the current attempts by the Opposition MPs to sanction him was quite clear: “Their initial motion to have me demit my post reached a dead end and now they’re attempting to usurp the power of President Ramotar, who is the only one with the power to remove me.”
The Home Affairs Minister further said that what the Opposition was attempting to do was to take away his right to speak.
He said that the Opposition MPs, having reached a stumbling block with their initial efforts to sanction him, are now attempting to say that he could stay in Parliament, but could not speak.
The latest move to have his issue brought before the Privileges Committee was not fair as he was appointed Home Affairs Minister and opined that he serves the entire country, and  not just PPP supporters.
His reading of the Firearms Amendment Bill, which is aimed at combating arms smuggling, a key issue affecting the nation, was stymied by the Opposition MPs. This bill, Minister Rohee noted, is being thwarted by a personal vendetta and the gag motion which seeks to prevent his reading of the bill, is a vengeful approach.
“Politically detrimental” was how he described the action and called for compromise and dialogue to address many of the issues facing the security sector. According to Minister Rohee “dialogue is needed not gagging”.    
After several hours of debate and heckling, the Speaker ruled that the Opposition’s Motion to prevent Minister Rohee from speaking in the National Assembly be sent to the Privileges Committee.
The Speaker said that while the Motion moved by Opposition Leader was properly before the House, he submitted that he has misgivings about the due-process aspect. (GINA)