As the nation observed at the consideration of the estimates in the National Assembly, which was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Guyanese again witnessed the complete descent into lawlessness in Parliament as the Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Sherod Duncan disrupted the Committee of Supply by hurling insults at a Government MP while ignoring the Speaker’s call for him to take his seat.
From all reports from Parliament, Duncan’s dissent resorted to what was described as “nasty” and unparliamentary language. Therefore, the suspension of the Opposition member from the parliamentary proceedings for four sittings by the Speaker was justified, as his disrespect was flagrant.
One can recall that in December 2021, Guyanese were astonished by the lawlessness in Parliament when the Opposition disrupted proceedings in its bid to have the Natural Resource Fund Bill sent to a parliamentary select committee.
But instead of having their objections raised in an eloquent manner befitting a Member of Parliament and having their objections put on the record, the Opposition showed this nation that they have no respect for the sanctity of any institution and more so, the highest decision-making body of the nation.
Moreover, the act of snatching the Mace from Speaker Manzoor Nadir is despicable to say the least and the MP should be expelled for the desecration of the National Assembly.
History will tell that MP Isahak Basir, who was a member of the National Assembly of Guyana from 1977 to 1991, had his political career ended in 1991 when he was expelled from Parliament by the then Speaker Sase Narain for throwing a glass of water at him and removing the ceremonial mace from its proper place.
Shockingly but not surprisingly, the new leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), Aubrey Norton in the aftermath of the disrespect to Parliament commended the Opposition MPs for their actions. The fact that Norton praised the Opposition MPs for their distasteful behaviour speaks volume to the type of leadership that the PNC has continued to embrace.
If one were to recall, such descent into lawlessness is nothing new for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC). In March of 2021 during the consideration of the estimates in the National Assembly, which was also held at the ACCC, the Opposition disrupted the Committee of Supply in its bid to deviate from parliamentary norms of bringing a motion to the House on an issue it wanted to be urgently addressed.
As was then and as is now, the disorderly actions taken by the APNU/AFC in the National Assembly were uncalled for.
The travesty that occurred in the National Assembly in March and December 2021 and now in February 2022 should never have started if our elected members, in the first instance, behaved as, and had the decorum, befitting an MP.
This appalling behaviour, however, is not surprising as, having witnessed what occurred after the March 2, 2020 elections and the subsequent five months, one would have a very good idea of how low the Opposition can descend.
Again, it would be good if the APNU/AFC were to prove that it had matured politically by joining with the Government in tackling issues that would help in the development of Guyana rather than disrupting the National Assembly, having not made any meaningful contribution.
More so, their behaviour demonstrates a failure to make representation for the thousands of Guyanese who had voted for them.
As this newspaper had outlined previously, the Government has laid out a detailed plan for the development of Guyana for the next five years. It is quite clear that the Government has a full grasp of the challenges facing communities, and has made the necessary financial allocations to address those challenges. What is now required is that personal political interest be put aside by the Opposition and the national interest take the forefront of its agenda.
Therefore, rather than adopting the current aggressive confrontational approach, the Opposition should serve the people of Guyana by showing respect for Guyanese by meaningfully engaging in the developmental agenda of the Administration.
