Finally, the eight Opposition MPs – who’d been called out by the Speaker for their riotous behaviour back on Dec 29th last – have been dealt with by the Privileges Committee. But NOT condignly enough! Your Eyewitness will be scarred for life after witnessing that scene of wild disorder and mayhem committed by folks who’re supposed to possess the maturity, gravitas and nous to represent their constituency in the highest law-making forum in the land!! That’s right – they’re supposed to be making laws to govern us – and yet they had no compunction to break the laws of the very institution of which they’re part!! How will the country take our laws seriously when they see the LAWMAKERS behave so lawlessly?? Oh tempora!! Oh mores!! Look what the world’s coming to!!
How do we get that image of the Mace – symbolising the authority and power of the Parliament – being violently snatched by Opposition MP Annette Ferguson? And then joined by several colleagues who viciously manhandled that patriotic staff who held on to it for dear life. And the ultimate degradation of the civility expected in the House was when one of them, Maureen Philadelphia, straddled the staff – now on the ground with the Mace clasped to his chest – and called him a “house slave”. Now both of them were African Guyanese and knew this was one of the most despicable and lowdown insults to an individual. He was merely protecting the symbol of an institution that was meant to move us away from the law of the jungle and such crudities and towards civilised behaviour!!
There’s also the image of those other Opposition MPs – including their Whip who’s supposed to keep them in line!! – blowing whistles at deafening decibel levels directly into the ears of Finance Minister Ashni Singh — who they’d encircled while he was delivering his speech on the NRF Bill being debated. It was utter bedlam and was obviously well planned and coordinated: whistles aren’t the usual accessory carried around by Parliamentarians. Then there was the leader of the Guyana Nation Builders Movement (GNBM), whose assignment, evidently was to disrupt communications by ripping out wires and connectors in the communication control room.
But sadly, all the Privileges Committee did was dole out some suspension orders for four and six sittings!! This isn’t even a slap on the wrist!! They’ll still be drawing their fat salaries and enjoying their perks –- without even having to lodge an excuse for not showing up!! At a minimum, some of them should’ve been EXPELLED – especially the one who used that racial epithet!!
It took several millennia for humans to invent democratic governance. But only 50 years for the PNC to destroy it here!!
…in oily world
Before he was President of the US but campaigning to become so, Joe Biden had declared he was going to make Saudi Arabia a “pariah state” for their role in the murder and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi in their Turkish Embassy!! But here he was – greeting, meeting and holding extensive talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia and heir to the throne held by his father, King Salman. And not so incidentally, the man fingered – by US intelligence!! – as the person who masterminded the murder of Khashoggi!!
What gives?? Oil, that what!! Nowadays when oil talks, everyone – and everything – walks!! Of course, Biden said he brought up the Khashoggi murder and that the meeting started off “frostily” – but MBS wasn’t treated like a “pariah”, was he?? On the main agenda item, MBS agreed there was gonna be a slight increase in OPEC’s oil production – to help offset the West’s embargo on Russian oil.
Was that enough to buckle on a principle??
…in the Police Force
Critics of new COP Hicken want the Courts to reverse his appointment. What do they say to his progressive moves made to improve the GPF?
Like community relations and investigating Police excesses!!
