DR. Barton Scotland was yesterday sworn in as Speaker of the National Assembly for the 11th Parliament. The newly sworn Speaker, however, expressed that while customarily the Deputy Speaker was sworn from the Opposition bench, the absence of the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic will prevent this process. “I have been advised that the Deputy Speaker is chosen from the Opposition members. In the circumstances of the absence of the Opposition members, the election of Deputy Speaker will not take place at this sitting,” Dr. Scotland told the members in the House.
The PPP/C has given no indication as to whether it will join the 11th Parliament, but Scotland is of the view that the absence of the political Opposition in the House would not prevent the business of the Assembly from going on; Parliament is scheduled to meet again on June 25.
“There is always a desire to have opinions from all sides of the house,” Dr. Scotland said, when asked whether the Opposition’s absence was a concern. He added that the Standing Orders of the Assembly do not provide for the business of the House to stop in the absence of the Opposition.
Following Parliamentary procedure, the Speaker proceeded to swear in the members of the David Granger Administration and other Members of Parliament from the A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition.
When asked to explain the process for electing a Deputy Speaker, Dr. Scotland said: “usually, the Deputy Speaker is provided from the Opposition benches”; he further said, “in the absence of the Opposition, I don’t think we should seek a Deputy Speaker.”
Meanwhile UK High Commissioner to Guyana, Gregory Quinn, in an invited comment from this publication, shared the view of the Speaker that the absence of the Opposition does not hinder the business of the Parliament.
“I think the Opposition should take up their seats in Parliament,” Quinn said. The UK envoy further explained that the Opposition has a duty to the more than 200,000 citizens that voted for them.
“It is important for them to take their seats and to be that voice for their supporters and for the people; but if they choose not to, then I don’t see a problem in the Government passing the legislation that it wants to”, he concluded.