PEOPLE’S Progressive Part/Civic Member of Parliament and attorney-at-law Sanjeev Datadin, has called out the APNU+AFC for failing to adequately represent its constituencies in the National Assembly.

This follows the opposition’s exit from the 50th sitting of the National Assembly on Monday, when important bills were scheduled to be debated.
The pertinent Constitutional Reform Commission Bill, for instance, was up for debate, and this was eventually passed in the House, paving the way for the constitutional reform process to pick up steam.

Before its passage, a Constitutional Reform Committee comprising members of the government and the opposition was formed. According to Datadin, who was also a member of that committee, the APNU+AFC representatives were often absent.

“They [APNU+AFC] made no contributions, recommendations. In the end, they simply went along with what the government side had recommended and said well they will go with that, they were given umpteen opportunities,” Datadin revealed during his weekly programme, “The Thursday Agenda.”

The opposition was again given the chance to contribute during the debate on the bill during Monday’s sitting; however, they walked out, laying blame on the Speaker’s decision to disallow two motions improperly put forward by Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton.

This, the attorney-at-law said, caused the opposition’s constituencies to be left voiceless in the highest law-making institution and the constitutional reform process.
“The target is the constitution… it must represent the will of the people and that’s how it’s done, but having said that or not having gotten his way like a spoilt child, you know that when you’re a child, you play in cricket, you’re out and you don’t want to give up, you pick up your bat and ball and you leave. That’s what Norton effectively did, no engagement. So, all of the supporters of APNU+AFC are left without a voice,” Datadin said.

Bills, including the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill, Intoxicating Liquor Licensing (Amendment) Bill, Suicide Prevention Bill, Restorative Justice Bill, Bail Bill, and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) (Amendment) Bill were also passed without contribution from the opposition.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, on the sidelines of the sitting, had also called out the opposition for abdicating its responsibilities as elected leaders in the National Assembly. Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, also lambasted the APNU+AFC for having no sort of contribution towards any of the bills.

Meanwhile, MP Datadin described the recent actions of Opposition Parliamentarian, Vinceroy Jordan, towards Minister of the Public Service, Sonia Parag, as “cowardly” and “foolish.”
The opposition MP and several other supporters barred Minister Parag from entering a CDC building to meet with youths in the Belladrum, West Coast Berbice community, to discuss training and other opportunities available to them.

The meeting was in keeping with a commitment made by President, Dr Irfaan Ali during an outreach to the region.
“It doesn’t matter why or which side of the political divide you are, […] your constituents, you must always help. You see you adopt that foolish attitude when you have a leader who walks around this country thinking, shaking hands with the President is somehow a thing that he wouldn’t do.

“He feels as if he is being interfered with if he shakes your hand and or he’s being oppressed and saying all kinds of nonsense that you wouldn’t shake hands of his oppressor. Your job is to put your silly ego aside, to put your foolish concepts away and serve the people who have voted for you,” Datadin said.

Several other ministers of government and groups have since called out MP Jordan for his action, deeming it anti-development.

(DPI)