Commonwealth Parlia mentary Association (CPA) Secretary-General (SG) Akbar Khan last Friday stressed the need for co-operation between the governing APNU+AFC and opposition PPP/C in the National Assembly.
Speaking at a press conference, Khan, a Guyanese by birth, noted that a lot of good work is done in Parliaments where initiatives receive support across party lines. “I would wish to see [them] working together on issues of national concern both on the floor of the House and at the committee stage. There are good proposals which can be worked on by both sides for the betterment of citizens of the nation… they should always remember that the public are looking in on their representatives to act in the best interest of their nation. Opposition for the sake of opposition is counterproductive. Lots of really good work is done in Parliaments where ideas come from both the opposition and the government. Remember that a parliamentarian has a higher calling—to work in the best interest of the citizens,” Khan explained.
Khan’s visit was a follow-up to a 2016 CPA post-election seminar and induction for new parliamentarians. During his visit, he was updated on how Parliament has been functioning and discussed the Latimer House Principles with several stakeholders, including President David Granger, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, and Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Barton Scotland as well as parliamentarians from both the government and opposition.
