As MP Harry Gill sent to Privileges Committee over letter to editor

National Assembly descends into uproar

…Opposition argues freedom of expression at stake

Monday’s sitting of the National Assembly got underway with Opposition parliamentarian Harry Gill being reprimanded for a letter to the editor he wrote which was published in Monday’s edition of sections of the media. The letter alleged bias in the Speaker of the National Assembly’s decisions.
According to Speaker, Dr Barton Scotland, the letter was brought to his attention by an unnamed person. He pointed out that the Speaker can only be challenged through a motion. Dr Scotland did stop short of sanctioning Gill. But not satisfied with the reprimand, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo rose and pushed for Gill to be referred to the Committee of Privileges.
The PM, who was strangely able to make a lengthy statement against Gill and cite specific cases to bolster his argument for sanctions, invoked Standing Order 91, which speaks to referring Members of Parliament to the Committee when the

“powers and privileges” of the Assembly are at stake.
The House descended into an uproar as Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira came to Gill’s defence. Teixeira was fierce in denunciating Nagamootoo’s motion. According to Teixeira, the motion was improperly put over and moreover, threatened the right to freedom of expression.
“The privileges motion was not properly put in the first place. We brought a privileges motion in this House. What is happening to the privileges motion against (Social Cohesion Minister) Dr (George) Norton? Freedom of expression is protected outside this House. You are damaging the right of freedom (of expression) in this country,” Teixeira said, to thunderous thuds on the desks from the Opposition side.
However, the Speaker ordered that part of her statements be expunged from the records since he did not give her leave to speak. Dr Scotland then took the step of

referring Gill to the Privileges Committee.

Set-up
Speaking to Guyana Times afterwards, Gill was of the firm opinion that the Prime Minister’s preparedness pointed to a set-up.
“It’s obvious that it was a set-up. The Prime Minister had all the documents; he didn’t just Google and pull them up. He came prepared for it. I invite you to look at the video. I put a link in the letter. I invite you to look at the letter and judge for yourself. I must remind you that Dr George Norton was supposed to have gone before the Committee of Privileges almost a year now and nothing has happened.
“But they want to bring me before the Committee of Privileges. What I did

, I think, was free speech. I did not condemn the actions of the Speaker of the House. I did it as a private citizen too. I’m entitled to protection of free speech, in our Constitution. This Speaker needs to see how he is perceived, not only by me but

other persons.”
In the letter titled, “There are inconsistencies in the Speaker’s rulings on sub judice and other matters”, Gill had cited cases in which Opposition parliamentarians were continuously interrupted by the Speaker when they criticised the Government side. He referenced the case of frontbencher Irfaan Ali.
“During the recent debate on financial bills, Irfaan Ali, another brilliant mind on the Opposition side, was extremely critical of the borrow-and-spend policy of the [A

Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change] APNU/AFC Government that is likely to see the economy accelerate into bankruptcy if allowed to go unchecked.
“The moment my colleague attempted to expose the dismal statistics to prove the economy was not performing, he was interrupted by the Speaker, who cautioned him continuously to “return to the Bill’,” Gill had also written. (Jarryl Bryan)