Parliament on trial-(Guyana)
Thursday, 09 February 2012 22:02
Chronicle -
President Donald Ramotar will today address the 10th Parliament and will unveil the developmental plans for the period 2012-2016 and most Guyanese would be anxiously awaiting those pronouncements because they ultimately would impact on the lives of the entire nation.
So far, the President has already delivered on some of the promises made by the PPP/C during the election campaign including a review of taxation, taking steps to ensure the Amaila Falls hydro project is completed and the establishment of the tripartite arrangement.
Notably, the President made these moves almost immediately on taking office which is an indication that he is a man of action and not empty rhetoric as is characteristic of some political leaders.
However, one of the crucial issues at today’s sitting will be the election of the Committee of Selection which has the responsibility of appointing the other parliamentary committees.
What makes the election of the Committee of Selection crucial is the fact that we have an unprecedented situation where the combined number of opposition seats is more than that of the ruling party, even though it has the single largest bloc of seats in the National Assembly.
Traditionally, the election of the members of this Committee was done on a proportional basis and therefore its composition was a reflection of the parliamentary strength.
The big question then is whether the opposition parties would act as one. If they do, then that would be a betrayal of tradition and the tripartite arrangement as well.
One would hope therefore, that the opposition parties would not act in such a partisan manner and put the interest of the country first. But if one were to use the election of the Speaker/Deputy Speaker as a yardstick of assessing the opposition parties then the situation most likely will turn out in the negative.
On that occasion, the spirit of the tripartite arrangement was betrayed and, for the first time in our history, both the posts of Speaker/Deputy Speaker have gone to the opposition. Perhaps this is unprecedented in any parliamentary democracy in the world.
But it may be wrong to use this instance to project what will happen today in Parliament because the opposition could very well surprise everyone by operating in a magnanimous and non-partisan manner, which most patriotic Guyanese are hoping for.
President Ramotar definitely made a most pertinent observation at his inauguration earlier this year when he exhorted that this new arrangement in Parliament would test the maturity of political leaders, and will demand that the nation’s well-being should not be sacrificed on the altar of pettiness.
The late President and founder-leader of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Cheddi Jagan had entitled his most famous publication , ‘The West on Trial’; perhaps someone could write another book entitled ‘The Parliament on Trial’, because with this new and unprecedented configuration, it will surely be on trial.
But we, as a people, should be filled with optimism and hope that the 10th Parliament would begin on the right path and pave the way for cooperation among the parliamentary parties and move Guyana forward and towards the path of accelerated development as a solid foundation has been laid by the PPP/C government over the last two decades.
Last Updated on Thursday, 09 February 2012 22:05
Thursday, 09 February 2012 22:02
Chronicle -
President Donald Ramotar will today address the 10th Parliament and will unveil the developmental plans for the period 2012-2016 and most Guyanese would be anxiously awaiting those pronouncements because they ultimately would impact on the lives of the entire nation.
So far, the President has already delivered on some of the promises made by the PPP/C during the election campaign including a review of taxation, taking steps to ensure the Amaila Falls hydro project is completed and the establishment of the tripartite arrangement.
Notably, the President made these moves almost immediately on taking office which is an indication that he is a man of action and not empty rhetoric as is characteristic of some political leaders.
However, one of the crucial issues at today’s sitting will be the election of the Committee of Selection which has the responsibility of appointing the other parliamentary committees.
What makes the election of the Committee of Selection crucial is the fact that we have an unprecedented situation where the combined number of opposition seats is more than that of the ruling party, even though it has the single largest bloc of seats in the National Assembly.
Traditionally, the election of the members of this Committee was done on a proportional basis and therefore its composition was a reflection of the parliamentary strength.
The big question then is whether the opposition parties would act as one. If they do, then that would be a betrayal of tradition and the tripartite arrangement as well.
One would hope therefore, that the opposition parties would not act in such a partisan manner and put the interest of the country first. But if one were to use the election of the Speaker/Deputy Speaker as a yardstick of assessing the opposition parties then the situation most likely will turn out in the negative.
On that occasion, the spirit of the tripartite arrangement was betrayed and, for the first time in our history, both the posts of Speaker/Deputy Speaker have gone to the opposition. Perhaps this is unprecedented in any parliamentary democracy in the world.
But it may be wrong to use this instance to project what will happen today in Parliament because the opposition could very well surprise everyone by operating in a magnanimous and non-partisan manner, which most patriotic Guyanese are hoping for.
President Ramotar definitely made a most pertinent observation at his inauguration earlier this year when he exhorted that this new arrangement in Parliament would test the maturity of political leaders, and will demand that the nation’s well-being should not be sacrificed on the altar of pettiness.
The late President and founder-leader of the People’s Progressive Party, Dr Cheddi Jagan had entitled his most famous publication , ‘The West on Trial’; perhaps someone could write another book entitled ‘The Parliament on Trial’, because with this new and unprecedented configuration, it will surely be on trial.
But we, as a people, should be filled with optimism and hope that the 10th Parliament would begin on the right path and pave the way for cooperation among the parliamentary parties and move Guyana forward and towards the path of accelerated development as a solid foundation has been laid by the PPP/C government over the last two decades.
Last Updated on Thursday, 09 February 2012 22:05
