–see it as ‘an evolving pattern of disrespect’ for the House

GOVERNMENT ministers and Members of Parliament on Monday condemned the actions of Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Bishop Juan Edghill when he defied the orders of Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland.

Dr Scotland had ordered Edghill out of the Committee of Supply following outbursts he made in objection to the Speaker’s decision not to allow the Opposition more time to deliberate on the Estimates of the Public Sector (current and capital revenue and expenditure).

Edghill refused to comply, and the police were called in to remove him, which proved unsuccessful. As such, the Speaker resolved to suspend the sitting.
The Opposition was allowed two hours to question the government on issues falling within the budget agency, but felt that the time allotted was insufficient. Former Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman, who has been a parliamentarian for 20 years, said this is the first time he has experienced such levels of disrespect in the National Assembly.

“I have never witnessed anything like this,” he told reporters in the corridors of Parliament. “The Speaker has always been shown respect; and when the Speaker has invited a member to sit, be quiet or refrain or withdraw, that has always been complied with, so we have set a new precedent today,” he said.

Trotman, who now serves as Minister of Natural Resources under the APNU+AFC coalition government, said “We have descended to a new low.”
He said that as far as he knows, the Speaker had taken all of the correct procedural steps, and it was up to the Clerk of the National Assembly, if he felt the Sergeant-at-arms was incapable of enforcing the Speaker’s ruling, to invite the police.

“I also want to say that none of us would like to see chaos erupting further in the House, but at the end of the day, the parliamentary system is one where the Speaker is a presiding officer, and that presiding officer must be shown respect.”

“The dignity of the House has to be maintained,” he stressed, adding that it is important for the members of the Opposition to try to defuse the situation. “The Speaker cannot be expected to assume the chair where there has been a breakdown of order, so we are in new territory here,” declared Trotman.

AN EVOLVING PATTERN

“We are quite distressed that what we see is an evolving pattern of disrespect; it was meted out against the President on November 2. No matter how bad relations got between the two main parties in this country, there has never been a disrespect of the kind seen in parliament on November 2.”

He noted that in the 1970s, parliamentarians hurled objects at each other, but by today’s standards, that sort of behaviour is uncharacteristic in the local parliament. He also spoke about the recent incident whereby a woman dressed as Santa Claus was able to give security the slip and enter the Parliament Chamber just as Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo was making his budget presentation last Friday.

“I see a fast slippage into disorder,” Trotman told reporters, while opining that the Speaker has a duty to call in the Chief Whips and maybe speak to the Leader of the Opposition and President David Granger about whether “We want to continue to be a parliamentary democracy, or whether we want to be labelled internationally as hooligans.”

Moreover, Trotman explained that the opposition’s contention that they are not being given enough time is a red herring. He noted that the Standing Orders say that the consideration of estimates can occur for a maximum of seven days, but it is not mandatory.
“By starting at 10am, we have actually gained more than seven days. The Standing Orders are set in such a way that Parliament meets at 2pm and ends at 10pm…
“We have actually been gaining more time in the two weeks than the normal 2pm to 10pm; we are now enjoying more hours for the estimates,” the government official said, adding:
“It is really a red herring, and it is a ridiculous assertion. Enough time has been afforded, and we have not adopted any more or less time than we have enjoyed in this House during the last 20 years.”

Similarly, Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, said the matter is not about the Opposition and Government, but about what is the lawful position. He reminded the media that Edghill was warned repeatedly by the Speaker, and when asked to leave the Chamber, he refused.
“This has nothing to do with who can speak; it is a question of the rule of law. The Speaker is the person who controls the business in this House, and Edghill or no other member of the House can decide that they can violate these rules of the House by refusing to take action when the Speaker tells them to do so.”

Harmon posited that should such behaviour be allowed, the National Assembly would descend into a place of chaos, as no one respects the Speaker’s ruling and can do as they desire.

MUST BE OBEYED
“So, Mr Edghill must know, the PPP must know that the Speaker’s ruling must be obeyed. And they can stay in there for as long as they want, but it has to be obeyed,” he said.
Reflecting upon what happened on November 2 when the Opposition chose to stage a protest, placards and all, while the President was addressing the National Assembly, Minister Harmon declared:

“They were very disrespectful; the Speaker came subsequently and made a written ruling on their behaviour. So, what you’re seeing is a pattern that is continuing, and I believe we have to take a stand on this matter.”
Minister of Public Communications, Cathy Hughes described the opposition’s behaviour in the House as “shameful”, while noting that she is really upset by such blatant acts of disrespect.

“I think it is a shameful moment; we have literally washed our dirty laundry not only in Guyana and the Caribbean, but the entire world.”
The Minister said that regardless of our political differences, mutual respect is mandatory. She, like Trotman and Harmon, said she was offended by the Opposition’s behaviour while the President was addressing the House on November 2.

“I was most offended when the President, the highest officer of this land, came to parliament and did not have the opportunity to be heard. We invited Guyana from the international community to sit in the parliament to listen to him, and the smallest courtesy that should have been extended to a sitting president was not extended to him,” she stated.

“Never in the history have we disrespected a president to that extent. Protest, we always do outside; everybody has a right to protest. Even if you come in and hold your placards, you still have no right to make it impossible for those who want to hear, not to hear,” declared Hughes.

She made the point that the opposition has a habit of asking one question several times, in a “deliberate attempt to waste time, and to frustrate the work of the Parliament.”
“That’s why there are specific limits on the time. Come prepared with your questions; ask your questions and they will be answered,” Hughes stated. According to the minister, who was passionate about Monday’s events, Edghill had started shouting when addressing the House, so the Speaker had cause to upbraid him.
In response, Edghill said that’s the way he speaks.

“Be very careful,” she warned. “What appears to look one way is not necessarily that way. There are strict rules governing the operation of the parliament; the Speaker asked the Opposition member to sit, and he refused. He then asked him to leave and he refused.
“Any decent individual would have gotten up and removed; we cannot have a free-for- all in the parliament.”

As to how she felt about the opposition’s non-participatory behaviour, Minister Hughes said:
“I am really upset. Every single Guyanese has a responsibility to stand up against this nonsense.”

Several other Members of Parliament from the governing side of the House expressed grave concern over Monday’s events which unfolded in the National Assembly.