I read Dr. Prem Misir’s perspectives in the Sunday Chronicle of December 30, 2012 under the caption “Non-Performance in Parliament”.

Permit me to state the following in your newspaper: 1. I am in total agreement with Dr. Misir’s perspectives only to say that I would have preferred the caption “a Do-nothing Parliament”. Anyway, a “Do-nothing Parliament” and “Non-Performance in Parliament” all means the same thing which simply means that our Parliament is dead. It was killed by the combined parliamentary opposition (APNU/AFC) misusing and abusing their one-seat majority against the government which comprises the “Executive”. This is the achievement by the parliamentary opposition for 2012. 2. Dr. Misir quite rightfully said “and, so today the public must question this Opposition- led Parliament’s performance on its capacity to contribute to the Nation’s development.” In my view the parliamentary opposition parties (APNU/AFC) performance in our Parliament for 2012 was counterproductive to Guyana’s development which showed that they lacked the capacity for national leadership to contribute to the social and economic development of Guyana. It is my hope that their partisan political behaviour in our Parliament is changed for the better in 2013 so that the promises they made to the electorate, in terms of pushing Guyana’s Development, become a reality and moreso its prosperity. 3. It is absolute balderdash for APNU to claim that it has made the Government “Accountable and Responsible”, since without these governance requirements Guyana would not have been experiencing positive economic growth as claimed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This claim by APNU is therefore a blatant excuse for the parliamentary opposition transforming our parliamentary democracy into a parliamentary dictatorship, to destabalise the government with the abuse of their one-seat majority. As a result, our Parliament has been reduced to a “Do –nothing Parliament” where the crucial business of government is blocked and the people of Guyana suffer. 4. In my view, the parliamentary opposition is a political waste and as I said I do hope that they change for the year 2013 from being destructive to constructive, thereby making our “new political dispensation” a model in our country. In this regard, I hope that the parliamentary opposition quickly understand their role to that of the Executive branch of government, so that the nonsense of budgetary cuts, wanting to remove a government minister, the passage of numerous motions which lack relevance, the bringing up of bills which lack constitutional consistency, and opposing the country’s development projects can be stopped in the interest of Guyana’s development. 5. Let me extend congratulations to his Excellency, President Mr. Donald Ramotar and his ministers of government for vigorously and strategically standing up to the irresponsible partisan behaviour of the parliamentary opposition in 2012 and best wishes with all successes for the year 2013.