Dear Editor,
Regardless of one’s political affiliations and leanings, whether sitting as a member of the ruling party, or on the other side of the aisle in the opposition benches, whether one is a senior Minister, a back-bencher, a clerk, or even an observer in the gallery, there is protocol and decorum that must be observed and adhered to in the National Assembly. This is common in parliaments, houses of assembly, congresses and in all hallowed halls of peoples’ power. The parliamentary rules of behaviour and conduct is no different in Guyana, from that of Britain or the Commonwealth or sister CARICOM states. All members of parliament are subject to the rigidities of those rules. They would have been indoctrinated on the requirement of proper decorum and rules governing the house. Any behaviour outside of those rules would be deemed unparliamentary. This evening’s ruckus that morphed into full-fledged pandemonium by APNU/AFC members was nothing short of unparliamentary behaviour. Outside of the House, this would have been deemed criminal. Grown men and women with noise makers, blow-blows and whistles drowning out the proceedings.
The deafening outburst in the hallowed halls of the National Assembly, and an attempt by Annette Ferguson to steal the Speaker’s Mace, eventually forced a halt to the proceedings in the house. It was, and is, another example of the level of incivility, hostility and belligerence that defines and characterizes the PNC. It’s branded in the psyche of each successive generation of PNCites from the Burnham era to this day and onward. There is no doubt that this fracas was pre-planned. They had nothing to add or any substantive argument to make. But they came prepared. They came armed with their noise makers, clappers and bow-blows. They came with the intent to disrupt the proceedings, to cause mayhem and sow chaos, and they did. The signs were on the wall for the past several weeks. The rudderless opposition, a handful of individuals and a number of loose knit groups, had advocated varying sentiments on civil disobedience and protests. The amended National Resources Fund (NRF) bill was before the House. This is the Bill that was illegally enacted after the APNU/AFC coalition Government fell to the No-Confidence motion.
It is pellucid that the Irfaan Ali led-Administration failed to educate the masses and civil society on the changes, or rather amendments, to the Bill. In classic PPP style, they failed to effectively communicate the aims, objectives and purpose of the National Resources Fund bill. But given that the previous NRF bill was passed by an illegitimate APNU/AFC regime, and was deemed illegal, the PPP should have repealed it in its entirety. They could have introduced a new framework for the NRF, in consultation with the opposition, civil groups and the people at large. They could have launched a national campaign, soliciting support, and educating the masses. They didn’t. Rather, they chose to rush an amended bill through the house. Whether the bill is sound and whole or not, it is this resort to their old ways of doing business that give cause for wariness and doubts in the minds of people. It smacks of the bullying that resulted in their 2015 downfall.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the opposition, a very bitter, incoherent, babbling Glen Lall and others who agitated against the NRF, had prior access to the draft of the Bill. They were disingenuous. For weeks they peddled misinformation to a nation, woefully ignorant of the bill. This couldn’t have been more glaring than the massive sign held up outside the Assembly by opposition protestors. This sign demanded the inclusion of the Santiago Principles in the Bill. Had the opposition read it, they would have seen and understood that it (the Santiago Principles) is indeed included. Somewhat of a moot point now, but this is another example of an opposition that fails to learn, adapt and or change. Just as how the PPP show signs of continuing in their old ways, so too does the opposition continue to wallow in their self-imposed quagmire. While Harmon, recently defeated at the leadership congress, refuses to cede the leadership of the PNC to duly elected Norton, the violent unity that the PNC displayed in this evening’s tumultuous session of the National Assembly reinforces the wisdom of the old adage, that a tiger never changes its stripes.
Likewise, the Irfaan Ali administration should now also mull the ramifications of ramming the NRF through the house. There clearly is a dire need for greater levels of transparency, consultation, engagement and inclusion of civil society in the patrimony of the nation. However, that does not, in any way, shape or form, absolve or give the PNC an excuse for its hostility and belligerence. Despite how, or if one agrees or disagree with the proceedings in the house, there is absolutely no room for incivility, and the level of hooliganism witnessed earlier this evening.
Those who so blatantly desecrated the hallowed halls must be censured and held to account. The Privileges Committee must act swiftly to ensure that this atrocity does not recur.
Sincerely,
Jay Mobeen
