JUST shy of a year since its last meeting and its subsequent prorogation, the hallowed Chambers of the National Assembly were yesterday reopened and Head of State, President David Granger, convened the 11th Parliament, and in a comprehensive address, he promised greater autonomy for the Legislature.Guyana’s eighth Executive President also said that no income tax will be paid this year by minimum wage earners; there will be no increases in income tax rates, Value-Added Tax (VAT) or National Insurance Scheme (NIS) contributions this year; but there will be a ‘moderate’ increase in pensionable earnings for the elderly and wages for public sector employees.

ORDER OF BUSINESS
Convened promptly at 14:00 hrs by Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, the 33 Members of the APNU+AFC Government, taking their seats in the House, assembled to be administered the Oath of Office.

Isaacs informed those gathered of the Proclamation issued by President Granger, that the life of the 11th Parliament be convened at that appointed time.
He informed the House of those names supplied to become members of the 11th Parliament for the APNU+AFC Government, and indicated too that he had not been given any list of names of persons by the Chief Elections Officer for those members of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), as was evident by the 32 empty seats reserved for the Opposition west of the aisle in the Chambers.

He told the House that Ms Amna Ally was appointed as the Government’s Chief Whip and she in turn nominated Dr Barton Scotland to be elected as Speaker of the House, the first official order of business, which was seconded by Mrs Catherine Hughes.
Dr Scotland’s nomination was unchallenged, but the post of Deputy Speaker will continue to remain vacant, at least in the immediate future, since the House was informed that the individual will be chosen from the ranks of the Opposition.

The House will reconvene in two weeks to commence with its business, since all of the Government members were administered the Oath of Office of Member of Parliament by the newly-elected Speaker, Dr Scotland.

Following his ascension to the office of Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Scotland expressed his deepest appreciation at the opportunity to join with members of the House in fulfilling the legislative agenda for the people of Guyana.
The Honourable Moses Veerasaamy Nagamootoo, headed the swearing-in ceremony yesterday, since as Prime Minister and First Vice President, he will lead Government’s business in the House.

The Prime Minister, welcoming the newly-elected Speaker to the House of elected representatives, recalled that he would have first crossed paths with him under his tutelage at the University of Guyana where Dr Scotland taught International Law.

Nagamootoo said he is confident in Dr Scotland as Leader of the House, and looks forward to being able to rely on his impartiality and scholarship “to take this House through what, at times, have been very troubled waters.”

Carl Greenidge, Khemraj Ramjattan and Sidney Allicock were all sworn in as Vice Presidents, while each of the other 29 Members of Parliament were also administered the Oath of Office.

VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR
Among those represented in the Chambers to witness the swearing-in of the APNU+AFC Government MPs were members of the Diplomatic Corps, Private Sector, Labour, the Religious Community and a range of civil society bodies.
The diplomats included British High Commissioner to Guyana Greg Quinn and Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana Dr Nicola Giles.
Argentinian Ambassador to Guyana Luis Alberto Martino was also present for the historic occasion, as was the Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana, Reina Arratia Diaz, who will no doubt report to Caracas that the first statement by a Minister of the Government in Guyana’s 11th Parliament called for a definitive ending of that country’s “baseless and shameless claims to Guyana’s sovereign territory.” (Please see related story on page 10)

INSPECTION
Following the swearing-in of the Government MPs, the blaring siren signalled the arrival of Head of State David Granger.
He immediately proceeded to the Presidential dais where, after receiving a Presidential Salute, he inspected the ceremonial Guard-of-Honour before delivering his charge to the convened Parliament.

The arrival of the Executive President to the Parliament was heralded by the Guyana Police Force Band’s rendition of the National Anthem.
Attired soberly in black with his signature Golden Arrowhead breastpin, Guyana’s Executive President again called on the members of the PPP/C to return to the governance table and take their place as the Opposition.

Head of State Granger, in his address, which was streamed live from Parliament Buildings via the internet, said the APNU+AFC Government envisages a well governed and prosperous Guyana.
In pursuit of this ideal, the President said, “We shall craft a long-term, national economic strategy that will ensure economic stability and social security, raise the productive potential of the economy and improve the quality of life for all.”

INCENTIVES

He spoke of amendments to appropriate laws to reform taxation, including VAT, to give income tax concessions to wage earners and to offer fiscal incentives on an equitable basis to all investors.

According to the President, there will be a heavy emphasis on Guyana’s natural resources and he also reminded of the plan to establish a Sovereign Wealth Fund.

This fund, he said, will be derived from revenues, “from our forests, mines, waters, lands and other natural resources, to benefit generations to come…your Government will introduce measures which aim at achieving full employment and providing more people with job security.”

He sought to give assurance that “steps will be taken to create jobs, increase production and generate wealth.”
Laying out a concrete legislative agenda for the House and its business, the President firstly underscored the integrity and autonomy of the National Assembly.
He said Government shall ensure “this Assembly is granted administrative autonomy, institutional autonomy, political autonomy and financial autonomy.”
President Granger said while in Opposition, they (APNU+AFC) would have witnessed how “a subservient National Assembly could become a bane rather than a boon to democracy.”
Guyana’s governance structure, he reminded, is grounded in the principles of the Three Branches of Government, which also speak to the need for Parliament to be serviced by a professional staff – independent of the regular public service.
As such, the President said, “We intend to ensure that the 11th Parliament is equipped with its own Budget Office and its own Parliamentary Counsel based right here in the Parliament.”
He spoke too of the APNU Government looking to bring forward legislation to secure strong and lasting constitutional reforms and to guarantee good governance.
LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS
Among these, he said, the Government will introduce legislative amendments to bring to reality, the holding of local government elections and the capping of controversial benefits for former presidents.
He spoke too of the liberalisation of the telecommunication sector and the passage of anti-money laundering laws, among a host of other amendments that would seek to provide greater independence to more constitutional offices.
The opening of the 11th Parliament marks a significant opportunity for a new start for Guyana and its people, according to the President, who remarked also that, “The state of the nation requires visionary leadership.”
In light of the challenges ahead, “We have assembled a Cabinet of men and women who can provide that leadership…They have the expertise, experience and enthusiasm to repair the damage which has been wrought over the past two decades.”
The President reminded too that the APNU+AFC Government acknowledges the democratically-expressed will of the people of, “this great country as expressed in the results of the recent General and Regional Elections.”
Government, he noted, has an obligation, over the next five years until 2020, during the legal life of the 11th Parliament.

SOCIAL COMPACT

He reaffirmed many pursuits to be implemented, as had been promised on the campaign trail, including elimination of one-party domination of government.

President Granger said yesterday: “We will wage war against poverty under a social compact characterised by an inclusionary process…We shall implement measures to install ‘inclusionary democracy’ and social cohesion in every municipality, every neighbourhood, every region and in the National Assembly…We shall empower our womenfolk to enable them to look forward to working for ‘living wages’ and to cope with the cost of living…We shall fashion a more friendly society in which old folk can enjoy adequate pensions and social protection…We will build a country in which women and girl children can expect to live in safety and to being protected from abuse and violent crime.”

FOREIGN POLICY

Addressing the Government’s Foreign Policy agenda, over the life of the 11th Parliament, the President affirmed firstly, “Your Government will do everything within its power to secure our borders.”
He said the APNU+AFC Government intends to ensure Guyana is playing a leading role in regional affairs, “using our presence on the South American continent and our membership of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organisation of American States (OAS), Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) to re-engage our neighbours and resolve the major regional security and economic challenges.”
According to President Granger, “Your Government will continue to work towards adherence to agreements that respect our territorial integrity.”
He was adamant that, “we insist on the full implementation of agreements that guarantee our sovereignty.”
Following the President’s charge, the House was adjourned until its next sitting on June 25, 2015, when it will reconvene for business.

By Gary Eleazar