–House Speaker says replica of Mace ensured legal passage of NRF Bill

SPEAKER of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, said that the persons responsible for violently snatching his Mace during the 34th sitting of the Twelfth Parliament held on Wednesday night, will not go unpunished.

At a press conference hosted virtually on Thursday morning, Nadir, accompanied by Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, could not say specifically what sanctions would be instituted, but confirmed that they would be coming.

“…the one who grabbed the Mace and the other who assisted, we have that fully recorded,” Nadir told reporters.

The Mace is the most significant symbol in the National Assembly, representing the authority of Parliament – the Speaker- and is only handled by the Sergeant-at-Arms.

In expressing his disgust over the ruckus created by the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Opposition, Nadir said that the situation represented an attack on the authority of the Parliament.

Although Nadir steered clear of mentioning the Mace-grabber’s name, a viral social media video shows that it was APNU+AFC Member of Parliament, Annette Ferguson, who initiated the brazen act.

In the scuffle between Ferguson and the staff of the National Assembly, the parliamentarian was assisted by her colleagues, who could not be clearly identified from the social media videos.

Meanwhile, the attempt on the Mace was not the only attack that the Parliament suffered on Wednesday night.

According to the Speaker, another APNU+AFC parliamentarian went as far as to infiltrate the parliament’s control room and unplug all the internet connections, thereby stopping the live stream of the proceedings.

This particular transgression was not captured on camera, but the culprit is also likely to face punishment.

The chaos in the National Assembly erupted after the Opposition refused to allow debate on an important piece of legislation, which seeks to strengthen transparency and accountability as it relates to withdrawals and spending of Guyana’s oil revenues.

The Opposition, through its Parliamentary Chief Whip, Christopher Jones, asked that the 2021 Natural Resources Fund Bill be sent to a Special Select Committee.

Speaker Nadir responded to the request in the negative, saying that he prefers to listen to the arguments on both sides before determining whether or not the Bill should be sent to a select committee.

As the Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, took to the podium, his presentation was interrupted by members of the APNU+AFC Opposition who kept banging on their desks and chanting the words, “no thieving Bill must pass.”

The uproar continued for several minutes, even as Minister Singh pressed ahead to make his point. As the chaos grew, the Speaker arose from his seat and asked that order return to the House. “I am on my feet,” Mr. Nadir cautioned.

However, protest from the Opposition escalated, with Opposition MPs, armed with placards, converging at the centre floor of the dome of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where sittings of the National Assembly are being held.

The Speaker, in a bid to carry on the business of the House, advised Minister Singh to proceed, but the commotion eventually forced Speaker Nadir to call for a short suspension, during which, the Opposition continued its protest.

Upon his return, Dr. Singh was asked to continue his presentation, but, in doing so, he was cornered by the opposition MPs who continued their attempt to distract him. Despite the prevailing circumstances, the minister did not relent.

At that point, Dr. Singh’s colleagues on the government’s side of the House proceeded to form a human protection barricade around him, while the Parliament staff did the same for the Speaker.

Within that time, a brazen attempt was made on the Mace. This “unprecedented” act was foiled by the Speaker’s Personal Assistant, Ean McPherson, who managed to secure the instrument, which he held on to tightly as he laid on the floor of the conference centre.

Another video posted on social media shows another APNU+AFC parliamentarians verbally abusing McPherson, using racial slurs. The man has since lodged an official complaint with the Ethnic Relations Commission, and his actions have received the “greatest respect and appreciation” from the Speaker.

LEGALLY PASSED
By the end of the fiasco, the new NRF legislation was passed. However, there have been concerns that the Bill was illegally passed, since the Mace was not in place.

That was clarified by the Speaker, who explained that while McPherson was securing the original Mace, a replica was properly inserted to entertain voting on the Bill.

He further confirmed that all instruments and “ingredients” were in place to ensure the legal passage of the landmark legislation, including all members of the majority People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government being at their seats when the Bill was put to a vote.

Nadir noted that a replica of the Mace was nothing new, and is practised in countries in the United Kingdom as well as Canada.

Meanwhile, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, said that the actions of the Opposition were not spontaneous. She maintained that the live feeds are proof that the members of the PPP/C government, in no way, provoked the Opposition’s action.

She noted, too, that the restraint demonstrated by her party colleagues on Wednesday night and during the 2020 six-month-long elections debacle was an indication of the high levels of leadership that exists within the PPP/C.

On the contrary, she accused the Opposition of “having no boundaries.”

“…and that should be of concern at this time,” Teixeira noted.

She expressed hope that the actions of the Opposition would result in the MPs facing charges, whether they are brought outside or within the confines of the parliament.