http://newssourcegy.com/news/m...ns-children-granger/

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand on Monday continued to refuse to apologise for the rape remark she made in the National Assembly last week which was directed at APNU Member Jaipaul Sharma.

Members of Parliament for the APNU and the Alliance For Change walked out of the National Assembly when Manickchand stood to make her budget presentation. Last Friday, the APNU members banged on their desks to prevent her from speaking.

During Monday’s sitting, House Speaker Raphael Troman said he believes Manickchand could have used better words in her statement last week when she said she did not mean to offend anyone by her remark. The APNU believes she should have made a direct apology to Sharma since her remarks were directed at him. Sharma has since resigned as a Member of Parliament over the remarks and her refusal to apologise.

Opposition Leader David Granger said the Minister’s continued defiance and refusal to offer an apology sends a bad signal to the nation’s children about conduct.

The Opposition Leader said she could have issued the apology and move on with the business of the House. He said the Speaker is in charge of the National Assembly and if he has decided that Manickchand speak then the APNU would no longer prevent her from speaking but would not sit and listen to her presentation.

Alliance for Change Member Moses Nagamootoo also said that the Minister has sent the wrong signal to the children of the nation when she refuses to apologise over a statement that was clearly directed at and offended a Member of the National Assembly.

With the Opposition benches empty, except for one member who remained to take notes, Manickchand spoke for over an hour about the state of the education system in Guyana. Heads of various Ministry of Education units and some students sat in the public gallery throughout the Minister’s speech.