There was a moment of absolute chaos in Parliament on Friday, during Opposition Leader Bharrat Jadgeo’s 2018 Budget presentation, after a woman invaded the Parliament Chambers dressed as Santa Claus, disrupting the proceedings.
However, the chaos lasted for less than a minute, as the woman was bodily removed from the chambers.
The woman dressed as Santa Claus entering Parliament
The woman was immediately released through the back gate of the Public Buildings. However, this publication was informed that she is now in custody, as Police investigate the incident.
The Clerk of Security at Parliament has since indicated that he is unaware of how the woman got there. The Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherdel Isaacs, is said to be probing the incident.
Coincidentally, Santa invaded the chambers through the Government’s entrance, a mere couple of minutes after most of the Government’s MPs and officers had left the chambers.
Isaacs said the person came into Parliament properly dressed, but changed clothes in the MPs’ washroom and then entered the Chambers. He said such a situation has never previously occurred, and he notes that it was a serious breach of security.
“It is a matter for the Police. We have the security forces here; they are responsible for security during sittings. They are investigating the incident,” he said.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of the Members of Parliament and everyone else in the chambers, since the woman could have been armed and unleashed havoc.
Since coming into power, the APNU/AFC Administration has increased the barriers around the Public Buildings with the explanation of increasing security. This increase in security measures has also caused chaos for commuters, since many bus parks are displaced during the sittings of the National Assembly.
Guyana Times as recently as Tuesday reported that Christmas shopping in downtown Georgetown has gotten even more hectic, as security measures for the deliberation of Budget 2018 caused much inconvenience for citizens.
An atmosphere of chaos had clouded the city for the past week as these sessions commenced, resulting in the displacement of several bus parks that operate around the Stabroek Market area.
This is as several main roadways in the vicinity of the Parliament Buildings have been closed to civilian traffic to accommodate easy access and facilitate the safety of the Parliamentarians attending these sessions.
In addition, almost all of the bus parks that operate around the Stabroek Market Square and its environs were moved further up Lombard Street, forcing passengers to walk a fair distance to get buses to take them to their respective destinations.
When Guyana Times visited downtown Georgetown, outraged bus operators and commuters contended that these changes present major inconvenience to them.
However, despite all these security measures, the woman was still able to invade and disturb the proceedings on Friday, which many viewed as a dangerous breach of security.
