–call for recalcitrant MPs to be dealt with ‘condignly’

SEVERAL private sector bodies and a human rights association have condemned the “unparliamentary” behaviour of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Opposition parliamentarians, who disrupted a sitting of the National Assembly, on Thursday.

What started with loud chants and protests against the 2021 Natural Resources Fund Bill in the House, quickly escalated to an unprecedented situation, which involved attempts by Opposition Member of Parliament, Annette Ferguson, and her colleagues to steal the Speaker’s sacred Mace.

In a statement against the actions of the Opposition parliamentarians, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) said: “Having a keen interest in listening to the debate on the Bills which were in the House, it is with utter shock and dismay that members of the GCCI witnessed a devolution of the Parliamentary proceedings into what can best be described as hooliganism.”

The private sector body added: “The cacophony only subsided when an attempt to remove the Speaker’s ceremonial mace by a Member of Parliament (MP) was made – an intolerable action under any circumstance. The chamber of commerce views this type of action as disrespect to the Chairperson of the highest decision-making body of Guyana.”

Further, the GCCI condemned “racist remarks” which were hurled by an Opposition parliamentarian at a parliamentary staffer who attempted to protect the Mace from further malignant intent.

“Discrimination, on any grounds, ought not to be any part of our Guyana. The chamber of commerce wishes to remind parliamentarians, particularly those who wish to engage in recalcitrant and unbecoming behaviour, that they are representatives of the people of the Republic of Guyana at a time when the country has international attention,” the private sector organisation said.

In its view, such reprehensible behaviour has the ability to further damage the credibility and image of Guyana as a stable society and environment for doing business; this image was already under strain by purported attempts to subvert the will of the electorate in the recent general and regional elections.

The GCCI is also of the view that Opposition’s behaviour has no place in a modern society, where civil discourse and debate ought to be the underpinnings of the dialectical process which obtains in Parliament.

“Therefore, the GCCI calls on the Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly to ensure that those responsible for the breakdown of order be dealt with condignly and with great alacrity. The chamber would also like to use this opportunity to reiterate its support for the Local Content Legislation and the Natural Resources Fund – both instruments which have potential to bolster benefits to the Guyanese people,” the private sector body said.

The GCCI’s call for recalcitrant MPs to be sanctioned was supplemented by comments from the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), which said: “This level of political indecency cannot be condoned and tolerated going forward as it has severe adverse consequences for political stability and investment in Guyana, thus stymieing the development of the country.

“… for those who are responsible for the chaos that evidently seems to be pre-planned, the strongest action and/or the full force of the law be applied to the perpetrators to prevent a recurrence of this nationally embarrassing display of political lawlessness and bullyism.”

The energy chamber said that while Members of Parliament may enjoy parliamentary immunity in carrying out their functions in the National Assembly, this should not negate the strongest possible action being meted out to the intellectual author (s) of the incidents in the National Assembly.

The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) also insisted that: “The nation is still reeling and is yet to fully recover from the undemocratic attempts to hold on to power in 2020. We must guard against slipping into that pit again. The Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association condemns the blatant and vulgar attempts to subvert democracy.

“Guyana cannot continue to be the Caribbean’s parliamentary laughingstock; we must do better. The Members of Parliament are elected by the people to represent them in this, the highest decision-making body, not to act out like the common rabble.”

REPRESENT THE PEOPLE
Parliamentary members, the association said, cannot deny Guyanese the representation they need, and must have, if the country is to progress. To this end, the GGDMA called on all MPs to return to the democratic practices and behaviours that should be associated with Guyana’s highest decision-making body.

The Guyana Small Business Support Network has also condemned the disruption by the Coalition and called for the unruly elements to be sanctioned.

“APNU, and in particular its main component, the PNCR, apparently still in the ‘rigging mode’ that followed the March 2, 2020 general elections, further descended into its self-created abyss by engaging in the most obnoxious form of behaviour in the hallowed chamber of the National Assembly. This attempt to hijack Parliament represents yet another bold move by PNCR forces and their enablers in the AFC to thwart the democratic will of the Guyanese people and is therefore repudiated on all fronts by this organisation. Be it also known that the Opposition members who planned and executed such a dastardly act are hereby condemned and are recommended for the sternest of disciplinary action by the Committee of Privileges.”

Meanwhile, the association for Democracy and Human Rights (Guyana) (ADHR) said, too, that MPs who sit in the National Assembly ought to represent the interest of the populace who elected them.

“The people of Guyana should have a legitimate expectation that their respective representatives would conduct themselves with decorum, civility and respect the differing opinions of their fellow members.

“The people of Guyana should be able to look to their elected representatives to preserve the national ethos, as well as the traditional values and virtues that have long distinguished Guyanese society,” the association said.

The Parliament, ADHR related, should never be allowed to descend into a state of “mayhem,” as was “deliberately orchestrated” by the Opposition, in what could be described as “unadulterated anarchy” and “political gangsterism” designed to block passage of the ground-breaking National Resource Fund Bill.

The snatching of the Parliamentary Mace, which explicitly suggests a deep disregard for its symbolic authority by Opposition MPs, warrants a closer probe.

“This event preceded a hostile takeover of the National Assembly, notwithstanding continued warnings by the Speaker of the House to discontinue the ruckus behaviour,” the human rights association said.

On the other hand, the ADHR acknowledged the bravery and courage shown by the parliamentary staff and all those who stopped the insurrection within the House. The patriotic citizens are deserving of some form of award for standing up for democratic principles and blocking the flouting of the Parliamentary code.