Opposition Parliamentarian Sherod Duncan (centre) being restrained by a member of the Guyana Police Force as he attempted to enter the Arthur Chung Convention Centre with a placard. His colleague former Ministers of Public Infrastructure David Patterson (right) attempted to intercede on his behalf. (Photo credit Joseph Allen)
February 12 ,2021
-in address to Parliament
According to President Irfaan Ali his government has committed to putting patriotism ahead of partisan politics and he yesterday announced the establishment of a `One Guyana Commission’ aimed at attaining “oneness”.
In his inaugural address to the 12th Parliament, Ali declared that for too long Guyana has been held ransom to the ambitions of partisan politics and the narrowness of partisan ambition.
“It is time to set those two impostors aside and to embrace in their place the virtuous cause of patriotic duty. A commitment my Government has made already. Guyana and the Guyanese people deserve no less; they have endured enough,” Ali told the MPs at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).
In a replication of the 2016 action of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) the opposition boycotted Ali’s address.
Their attempt to stage a protest similar to that of the PPP/C in 2017 was however thwarted by members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) who prevented several opposition members of parliament (MP) from entering the Chamber with placards in hand.
Officers went so far as to physically restrain APNU+AFC MP Sherod Duncan and to form a human barricade to block MP Jermaine Figueira from entering the compound of the ACCC.
In 2017 during President David Granger’s state of the nation address to parliament, the then opposition led by Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo heckled Granger and displayed placards calling for the president to “boom out”. Other messages displayed included “Jobs for youths,’ ‘Billions squandered,’ No Aspirins available’ and ‘Unilateral GECOM appointment’.
Yesterday’s objections to Ali’s presence carried similar tones as the Opposition continues to maintain that his government was “fraudulently install-ed” and is pursuing a campaign of intimidation and discrimination. As one placard described the issue – the PPP/C = attacks on the poor + jobs for cronies.
In fact as Ali entered the ACCC the few opposition MPs who had made it past the barricades began chanting “fraud is fraud”, a reference to the March 2nd general elections.
Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon told the media outside the ACCC that Ali’s presence could not be countenanced.
“Irfaan Ali coming here is opening a wound…We have a situation in which that regime has failed to recognize…the legitimate representative of over 217,000 persons. We represent these electors in that House…If you disrespect me outside my house, then you cannot come into my house and disrespect me…he has disrespected our political leaders; has disregarded the constitution; has disregarded the responsibility to consult while engaging in secret deals that make our people more vulnerable…we have to stand firm…as members of parliament,” Harmon stressed.
APNU+AFC’s claim that the March 2nd 2020 elections were rigged has not been borne out by any evidence.
He went on to object to the recent amendment of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act which he said removed the independence of constitutional agencies and returned them to political control by granting subject ministers the right to oversee their budgets.
“That is wrong,” Harmon reiterated.
Ali however was unmoved by the action. Like Granger before him, he refused to acknowledge the heckling and the hecklers.
He entered the ACCC and for just under an hour told the Nation of his government’s plans.
“The key word of my Government is ‘oneness’. The essential character of my Government’s vision is ‘inclusion’,” Ali declared.
The path to this “oneness” he explained will include an Act of Parliament establishing a “One Guyana Commission” which will be led by Prime Minister Mark Phillips.
Practical steps
The purpose of the Commission, he explained, would be to identify practical steps to cement our one society, encompassing and respecting the diversity from which our “oneness” springs.
“The work of the Commission would be countrywide, and it would listen to the free expressions of all voices, concerning ways in which every Guyanese can honour their ancestral heritage while giving the highest regard to our blended Guyanese civilization,” the president explained.
Notably, he added that the Commission will address the institutional strengthening of the existing Ethnic Relations Commission to make it more effective. The constitutional agency has been criticized as ineffective over the entirety of its existence.
The “Oneness Commission” will also deal with education concerning the country’s history; its religions and how we ensure equal opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship, Ali noted.
Another word which the President declared important to his government is “partnerships”.
“I want to speak myself on the matter of partnerships between Government and representative bodies in the governance of our One Guyana. I propose to have regular high-level consultations with the representatives of the private sector, the trade unions, religious bodies and other civil society groups to address key issues that confront our nation. I intend also to directly engage communities and community leaders across every village in building trust and deepening relationships to the benefit of the people of those communities,” Ali intoned before explaining that the intention is to build consensus on how to effectively tackle issues with these representatives.
There was no mention of a partnership with the parliamentary opposition.
Partnerships have however been extended to the Guyanese diaspora and companies licensed to operate in the oil and gas sector.
“Leaving oil and gas in the ground is not an option. It cannot be an option when their production and sales can transform the economy of Guyana, bringing in considerable revenues that can be utilized to dramatically improve the lives of all our people,” Ali stressed.
Acknowledging that Guyana cannot take advantage of its oil and gas resources without the considerable investment of the companies now operating in the sector, Ali said that they are entitled to a fair return on their investment therefore his government will pursue a relationship based on fairness, on equity and on mutual interests.
“Government will work to ensure future production contracts redound to the significant benefit of Guyanese without seeking to disincentivise foreign investment,” he said.
In managing the sector he said that they will introduce various legislative and institutional initiatives; update the Petroleum Act, build the capacity and the institutional framework for the audit of expenditure and the drafting of new production agreements with international standards under which any new production license will fall.
Government will also seek to fortify, in law, the Local Content Policy and enact Legislation to define how finances will flow from the Fund into the budget, and the purposes for which they will be used.
Another piece of oil and gas legislation which is destined for the House will allow government to account for every cent earned and spent from the industry by compelling the Finance Minister and the Finance Secretary to publish details of all revenue and expenditure in the Official Gazette.
In the six months since it has been in office, the government has not tabled a single piece of legislation pertaining to oil and gas.
Based on Ali’s presentation his government will pursue an aggressive legislative agenda over the next five years.
Included among the raft of announced legislation is an update to the Amerindian Act after consultation with every Amerindian community.
The indigenous community is also expected to benefit from improved education, health facilities, housing and infrastructural development.
In pursuit of a sound, stable and viable macro-economic framework the Irfaan Ali government is also establishing “Free Zones” to facilitate trade and open up new opportunities including new employment opportunities as promised in his party’s manifesto.
In fact according to Ali his government “will strive to honour in our period in office, every aspect, every promise, every commitment made in the manifesto.”
