Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Aubrey Norton has justified the actions of Opposition Parliamentarians after their attempt to seize the Speaker’s Mace in an effort to derail the passage of the Natural Resource Fund Bill on December 29.
Norton, during a virtual press conference yesterday, said that the government’s rush to move the NRF Bill through the National Assembly and the Speaker’s facilitation of that is what led the Opposition MPs to act the way they did.
On December 29, 2021, led by MP Annette Ferguson a group of MPs charged at the Speaker’s ceremonial Mace resulting in a tussle with parliamentary security and the parliamentarians. The incident occurred as Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh had begun his presentation on the Bill. Eventually, the Opposition MPs, blaring whistles, placards and chanting loudly were unable to derail the passage of the controversial piece of legislation.
“The establishment of a sovereign wealth fund for Guyana is a matter that touches and concerns all Guyanese, present and future, and it would have therefore been in keeping with the tenets of good governance for the PPP/C regime to allow the Guyanese people to have a say in such an important legislation. Instead, the PPP/C chose to once again disregard the wishes of Guyanese, in pursuit of their narrow partisan, elitist interest and attempted to illegally pass the Natural Resources Fund Bill.
“The PNCR maintains that the Natural Resource Fund Bill No. 20 of 2021 was not legally passed in the National Assembly and we will challenge it every step of the way,” Norton told the news conference.
He added that the government acted in bad faith when it decided to forge ahead with the Bill in light of calls by civil society and the Opposition for it to be sent to a Special Select Committee for broader input.
Additionally, he based his contention that the bill was not legally passed on the fact that the original Mace was not in the parliamentary chambers.
“We reiterate that the Mace which is the symbol of authority, and which must be present throughout the sitting of the Assembly when a law is to be passed, was not present and this fact has since been confirmed by the Speaker himself. The Speaker’s admission that a replica of the Mace was used is an embarrassing attempt to gloss over the illegal actions of the PPP/C in the National Assembly in which he as Speaker was complicit and culpable,” Norton said.
He further argued that the Speaker does not have the authority to just use any object as the Mace and expect the National Assembly to respect that. He added that it must be the original Mace which is the official symbol of authority in the House.
Although the issue of MPs being in their seats and voting on the Bill has been ventilated, the PNCR Leader maintains that the government MPs were not all in their seats when they voted hence that violates the standing orders and makes the vote illegal.
The Opposition’s Chief Whip Christopher Jones said “Based on the guidance put out by the Parliament of Guyana in a document titled the Parliament Guide, it states specifically that if the Mace is not in the Chambers of the National Assembly when there is a proceeding then no business can be conducted…Once the Mace has been removed there can be no sitting and including the guide that has been put out by Parliament it states specifically that and to quote ‘when the Mace is out of the National Assembly no business can be done.”
Legal action
Norton said that the PNCR is standing with its MPs adding that the Speaker’s warning of sanctions against the errant MPs is being seen as an attempt to silence and muzzle the representatives.
“I suggested and believe that the actions of the Speaker in repressing, the actions of the government in seeking to rush this bill which is critical to the people and the development of Guyana through the National Assembly it is those actions that led us to what happened in the National Assembly. I believe the Members of Parliament in pursuance of the interest of the people of Guyana which is to protect the wealth that comes from the oil industry, in pursuance of that interest, the Members of Parliament sought to take action to ensure that a bill that is antithetical to their interest does not pass,” Norton argued
He said that they would continue to fight for the withdrawal of the Bill explaining that they are considering several routes including legal action, political recourse or the involvement of the diplomatic community.
“There is the possibility of going to court because when we look at it is clear that the law wasn’t passed because of the two violations that occurred. Political action is opened and left as a course of action,” he said.
Norton could not say when asked, what the status of their legal action was or whether it has been filed as yet.
Responding to allegations that had been made against him by Norton, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir last night defended his actions.
In a statement, he said: “The Speaker of the National Assembly frowns upon the attempt by the People’s National Congress Reform, by way of a Press Statement dated January 7, 2022, to bring his speakership of the National Assembly of the Parliament of Guyana into disrepute.
“Speakers, from time immemorial, due to the nature of the work, that is, preserving order and decorum within the Assembly and disciplining members, among other things, have always been accused of biasness. This allegation is therefore expected.
“I wish to state, that as Speaker of the National Assembly, I have always conducted the business of the House in keeping with the Standing Orders of the Parliament of Guyana and other Parliamentary Procedures and Practices of the Commonwealth.
“Persons who are not familiar with Parliamentary Rules of Procedure would interpret the way I have been approving and disapproving questions and motions, and my rulings on certain matters, would claim that I am bias.
“It is my firm opinion that the PNCR’s Press Statement dated January 7, 2022, is a weak attempt to justify the unparliamentary behaviour of the Members of Parliament who created grave disorder during the last Sitting of the National Assembly, with a view to prevent the passing of the Natural Resource Fund Bill No. 20 of 2021.
“It must be noted that the gross disorderly conduct of some of the members during the last Sitting of the National Assembly will not be condoned.
Further, it is my duty as Speaker of the National Assembly to ensure that the business of the National Assembly is conducted in a fair, transparent, and orderly manner and this I will do until the end of my tenure”, he said.
