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Is there going to be no end to the recurring political foolishness by the parliamentary opposition of APNU and AFC? The question is quite pertinent and should resonate with serious-minded Guyanese, across political boundaries, anxious for this nation to maintain momentum in social and economic advancement amid prolonged and depressing international developments.
The two latest obstructionist behaviour by the one-seat majority APNU/AFC alliance came at last Thursday’s sitting of the 65-member National Assembly, and once again, manifested a churlish, spiteful attitude against Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.
This time around the APNU/AFC alliance was out to display the extent to which they remain opposed to Minister Rohee by refusing to use a one-vote majority to facilitate parliament’s approval of three harmless, non-controversial pieces of legislation–an Evidence (Amendment) Bill 2013; Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2013; and the “Fire Service (Change of Name) Bill 2013.
Consistent with this immature political posturings and shared but totally unjustified political, if not also personal hatred, for Minister Rohee, the APNU/AFC coalition may have succeeded in self-embarrassment in the eyes of not only Guyanese, but other CARICOM citizens as well for also opposing a bill to change the current name of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to what obtains in some other countries the Caribbean Community—Guyana Police Service(GPS).
The core rationale for the name change is with an emphasis on “service” instead of “force”. Hence, the ‘S’ in the acronym instead of the ‘F’, as long done, for instance, into Trinidad and Tobago, a CARICOM state with much similarities to Guyana.
Question for the APNU/AFC alliance is why this continuation of unseemly political opposition to a senior cabinet minister like Mr. Rohee—against whom NO documented fault has been found; no proven incompetence established; or allegations of personal integrity justified?
Further did they even bother to at least consult with the relevant officers of the GPF before adopting the position to vote against the name-change GPF Bill?
The Guyanese people are aware that there is among APNU parliamentarians a former Commissioner of the GPF, Winston Felix. It is true that he was involved in quite a highly controversial tape-recorded affair before his departure on retirement to be officially identified with PNC politics and eventually becoming a parliamentarian of APNU. Is he also of the view that it’s better to retain the ‘F’ (for Force) in the GPF acronym in preference for the ‘S’—as in Service?
What’s quite perplexing — perhaps not for those more familiar with the nature of the PNC/APNU — is why preference to retain the ‘F’ when both APNU and the AFC like to often malign members of the GPF for alleged brute “force” in dealing with members of the public?
In the circumstances, it seems quite pertinent to ask:
When will the continuing waste of time and public money cease in this mockery being made of parliament — until new general elections?
Then let the PEOPLE decide … The sooner, the better!
The two latest obstructionist behaviour by the one-seat majority APNU/AFC alliance came at last Thursday’s sitting of the 65-member National Assembly, and once again, manifested a churlish, spiteful attitude against Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.
This time around the APNU/AFC alliance was out to display the extent to which they remain opposed to Minister Rohee by refusing to use a one-vote majority to facilitate parliament’s approval of three harmless, non-controversial pieces of legislation–an Evidence (Amendment) Bill 2013; Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2013; and the “Fire Service (Change of Name) Bill 2013.
Consistent with this immature political posturings and shared but totally unjustified political, if not also personal hatred, for Minister Rohee, the APNU/AFC coalition may have succeeded in self-embarrassment in the eyes of not only Guyanese, but other CARICOM citizens as well for also opposing a bill to change the current name of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to what obtains in some other countries the Caribbean Community—Guyana Police Service(GPS).
The core rationale for the name change is with an emphasis on “service” instead of “force”. Hence, the ‘S’ in the acronym instead of the ‘F’, as long done, for instance, into Trinidad and Tobago, a CARICOM state with much similarities to Guyana.
Question for the APNU/AFC alliance is why this continuation of unseemly political opposition to a senior cabinet minister like Mr. Rohee—against whom NO documented fault has been found; no proven incompetence established; or allegations of personal integrity justified?
Further did they even bother to at least consult with the relevant officers of the GPF before adopting the position to vote against the name-change GPF Bill?
The Guyanese people are aware that there is among APNU parliamentarians a former Commissioner of the GPF, Winston Felix. It is true that he was involved in quite a highly controversial tape-recorded affair before his departure on retirement to be officially identified with PNC politics and eventually becoming a parliamentarian of APNU. Is he also of the view that it’s better to retain the ‘F’ (for Force) in the GPF acronym in preference for the ‘S’—as in Service?
What’s quite perplexing — perhaps not for those more familiar with the nature of the PNC/APNU — is why preference to retain the ‘F’ when both APNU and the AFC like to often malign members of the GPF for alleged brute “force” in dealing with members of the public?
In the circumstances, it seems quite pertinent to ask:
When will the continuing waste of time and public money cease in this mockery being made of parliament — until new general elections?
Then let the PEOPLE decide … The sooner, the better!
