…Bishop Edghill says

ON one hand, the Opposition People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) is thundering to its supporters that there is “no Parliament” due to an “illegal government” but, on the other hand, its Parliamentary Members refuse to give up the stipends and benefits being offered through the government.

On Monday, Member of Parliament (MP) Bishop Juan Edghill could not state whether members of the Opposition, a part of the National Assembly, would be protesting against the issuance of these salaries or benefits given their position.

“I am not sure that there will be a protest or not a protest,” he said. “The President needs to dissolve the National Assembly and make a proclamation. At the time of the dissolution of the National Assembly there are administrative things that need to be done which would also entail the stopping of payment of non-ministers [or] MPs. That should be the normal thing.”

While Edghill stated that these “peculiar circumstances” prevent the Opposition MPs from refusing their salaries, the PPP appeared to be more open to refusing unwanted monies in 2017.

Shortly after taking office in May 2015, the current government had announced an increase in salaries for all ministers as well as MPs as a means of preventing them from “putting their hands into the cookie jars”.

MPs without a designation received a 20 per cent salary increase which increased their annual salaries from $2,002,116 to $2,402,532.

However, the Opposition refused to accept the increase. Back in 2017, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo told the Stabroek News that the additional money was being deposited into commercial bank account.

“I can’t tell you exactly how much money is in the bank account but it is a requirement that I know that our MPs are deducting the money and sending it to that bank account…not a cent has been spent from the time the increase was paid out,” he said.

Though it is unknown what became of this money supposedly deposited, the PPP MPs did not indicate that similar measures will be taken in this case which they hold much more serious.

While the opposition continues to parade around deeming the government as illegal, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) had pointed out in September that: “The Leader of the Opposition forms part of the Executive as per the Constitution (Chapter X). Ipso facto, if the government has caretaker/interim status likewise is the status of the said office and its holder. Good sense must prevail. Any political and constitutional act, inaction or uncertainty they must be held to account in equal measure.”

Furthermore, Edghill and fellow MP Nigel Dharamlall are still serving in capacity as Members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which comes under the National Assembly.
Since January 2019, following the passage of the no-confidence motion which was being contested in the courts, the Opposition has refused to attend the Sittings of the National Assembly but some nine months later still receive their salaries and benefits.

“…the parliamentary Opposition is of the view that the business that is scheduled to be considered by the National Assembly on the 3rd January, 2019, is not in compliance with Article 106(7) of the Constitution. Therefore, any sitting of the National Assembly that is not in compliance with this article is a violation of the Constitution. Thus, the parliamentary Opposition will not participate in undermining the Constitution, and, further recommend that this sitting should not be held,” PPP Chief Whip Gail Teixeira was quoted as stating in the Guyana Times newspapers.

On the contrary, Article 106 (7) of the Constitution states: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the government shall remain in office, and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall, by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

To date, the Guyana Elections Commission has named a timeframe on its readiness to facilitate the General and regional elections and President David Granger has named the date, March 02, 2020. However, the Opposition, thus far, refuses to return to Parliament on October 10, 2019 to grant the extension required in the Constitution.

Despite their obstinance, President Granger has assured that the Elections Commission is committed to doing all in its powers to meet the March 2, 2020 elections date.