THE Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir has frowned upon the attempt by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), by way of a Press Statement dated January 7, 2022, to bring his speakership of the National Assembly of the Parliament of Guyana into disrepute.

According to a release from the National Assembly of the Parliament of Guyana, Speakers, from time immemorial, due to the nature of the work, that is, preserving order and decorum within the Assembly and disciplining members, among other things, have always been accused of biasness.

“This allegation is therefore expected. I wish to state, that as Speaker of the National Assembly, I have always conducted the business of the House in keeping with the Standing Orders of the Parliament of Guyana and other Parliamentary Procedures and Practices of the Commonwealth. Persons who are not familiar with Parliamentary Rules of Procedure would interpret the way I have been approving and disapproving questions and motions, and my rulings on certain matters, would claim that I am bias. It is my firm opinion that the PNC/R’s Press Statement dated January 7, 2022, is a weak attempt to justify the unparliamentary behaviour of the Members of Parliament who created grave disorder during the last Sitting of the National Assembly, with a view to prevent the passing of the Natural Resource Fund Bill No. 20 of 2021,” the release said.

It must be noted, the release said, that the gross disorderly conduct of some of the members during the last Sitting of the National Assembly will not be condoned.
“Further, it is my duty as Speaker of the National Assembly to ensure that the business of the National Assembly is conducted in a fair, transparent, and orderly manner and this I will do until the end of my tenure,” the release quoted the Speaker as saying.