Major kafuffle in Parliament as… Opposition uses ‘bullyism’ to gag Gov’t Minister

THE Opposition provoked a major kafuffle in the National Assembly last night, defying the ruling of the Speaker of the House, Raphael Trotman, to allow Education Minister Priya Manickchand to speak and reneging on their agreement that earlier saw no problems with the Minister making her presentation.On Tuesday, a ‘heckle’ in the House by the Education Minister was protested by the Opposition and Manickchand was subsequently barred by the Speaker from speaking during the ongoing budget debates.
Manickchand had heckled “ask the APNU member Sharma” while Opposition MP Volda Lawrence was addressing the issue of rape in the society.
However, on Wednesday, following an agreement brokered by the Speaker with the Government and the Opposition, Manickchand repeated agreed words in the House, which was accepted by the Opposition as a prerequisite to their non-protest of her being able to contribute to the 2014 Budget debates. On the following day, the Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Jaipaul Sharma, resigned from his post in the House stating that his resignation was prompted by Manickchand’s comment and the fact that he considered himself “not competent” as an aggressive debater.
Last night, when the Education Minister rose to deliver her address on the 2014 Estimates, which allocates $32.3B – the lion’s share – to the education sector, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) MPs protested with loud banging on their desks, chanting ‘Apologise to Sharma’.
Several calls by the Speaker for order went unheard and, as the Opposition’s protest grew louder, Trotman subsequently ruled that the sitting be suspended. During the suspension, MPs on either side of the aisle were loud in registering their respective point of views.
Out of Chambers, the Speaker met with the Parliamentary Chief Whips, Gail Teixeira and Amna Ally, and the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, but no resolution was reached.
On resumption of the sitting, Trotman acknowledged that the protest was as much against him and his ruling, as it was against Manickchand, but stressed that, as per Wednesday’s agreement, the issue was dealt with.
He acknowledged Manickchand and asked her to proceed with her presentation.
However, the position of the APNU MPs remained unchanged. With every attempt of the Education Minister to make her speech, the Opposition’s pounding and chanting grew louder. Each time Manickchand halted her presentation, the Government MPs stood up in protest, which was the case three times in the space of a few minutes.
The Speaker called for order, a call that was again disregarded, and Teixeira who attempted to move a motion for a vote was blocked from speaking as the desk-pounding and chanting from the Opposition grew louder and faster.
Her move to a motion was heckled and the Opposition’s tune now sounded ‘Apologise to Sharma…no vote’.
A warning, from the Speaker, that the sitting would have to be adjourned went unheeded and Trotman ordered that the Budget 2014 debate be adjourned for continuation on Monday.
Immediately after the sitting ended, Government MPs gathered for a press briefing.
BULLYISM
The Government Chief Whip Gail Teixeira vehemently stressed that not only did the Opposition renege on Wednesday’s agreement, which the Government, through Manickchand’s statement, honoured, but APNU is attempting to bully the Government.
She underscored the fact that the Speaker’s ruling was completely disregarded and the Opposition have made a turnaround that can only be seen as “trying to save face” with Chandra Narine (C.N.) Sharma, his party and his television station.
“They now want to use Minister Manickchand as their whipping board,” Teixeira said.
According to her, this type of behaviour is reflective of the attitude of the Opposition throughout the life of the 10th Parliament, which was called to order following the 2011 general elections.
“These are the type of politicians we have,” she lamented.
The Education Minister also commented on the situation during the press briefing and made it clear that it is unfortunate that a ‘heckle’, a normal practice in the National Assembly, which was settled on Wednesday is being transformed into such a major issue.
“I am stunned…two days they were fine,” Manickchand said, adding that the Opposition’s move to gag her in the National Assembly is unwarranted, but one that is obviously based on the change of events between Wednesday and Thursday with the resignation of Jaipaul Sharma.
WORD IS NO BOND
Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, also addressed the situation and was adamant in stressing that last night’s events indicate clearly to the Government and to the Guyanese people that the Opposition’s word is not their bond.
He stated that he was both shocked and stunned at the night’s events.
Hinds said, “This is another occurrence of the Opposition backing out of agreements….it is astonishing they would do what they have done….we have to take it that the Opposition’s word is not their bond.”
The Prime Minister made it clear that agreements between Members of Parliament must be honoured and said he was disappointed in the position taken by the APNU.
Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, added that the education sector is a key sector that has a direct impact on the lives of thousands of Guyanese and the importance of the sector as well as the responsibility of Minister Manickchand ought to have been taken into consideration.
“This sends us a clear message,” he said, explaining that the Opposition cannot be trusted; the Opposition has no respect for the rule of law; and is indicative of their disposition for “lawlessness” in the National Assembly.
Dr Singh stated that 26 MPs cannot deny the will of thousands who elected the current Administration and who are, by democratic right, represented by the Education Minister.
“This is total disrespect for the principles of democracy,” he charged.
SPINELESS
Agriculture Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, blasted the Alliance for Change (AFC), whose MPs were absent at the time of the incident for being spineless in their lack of action.
He stated that if the AFC, which promised to represent the interests of the Guyanese people, cannot defend the rule of law, the Speaker’s ruling, and the right of a democratically elected MP to address the House, how can they defend the rights of the people.
“We will go to the people,” Ramsammy said, adding that the Manickchand’s heckle highlighted a serious issue, that of sexual assault involving Guyana’s young girls and children.
The Minister stated that the APNU, with a history of dictatorship, has manifested the said historical characteristics in the House and what is being offered to the Guyanese people as an alternative Government.
He maintained that the ruling party has and will continue to conduct itself in a “starkly different” manner as they continue to defend the rights of the Guyanese people and advance the country.
In the past, attempts to gag speakers were advanced against Ramsammy himself, General Secretary of the ruling party and Minister of Home Affair, Clement Rohee and even the late, Dr. Cheddi Jagan.
By Vanessa Narine