Georgetown: Leader of the Government side in the House, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, today signaled to members of the media that the Government will withhold its participation at the level of the Committees.
The Prime Minister told media operatives that they had signaled to the Speaker of the National Assembly that the make-up of the Committee of Selection is currently subject to a constitutional action in the Court and as such should hold off on convening any meeting to address the make-up of any such committees.
The Prime Minister did however state that the ruling administration will abide by the court ruling and if it is not in their favour the Government will still return to the committees.
Hinds was joined by former PPP/C stalwart and Presidential Advisor, Gail Teixeira, and Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh. The Government’s argument was again reiterated by the Officials who argued that the proposal by the opposition flies in the face of the constitution even as Teixeira accused the combined opposition as being a single dictator.
The combined opposition had amended the make-up of the Committee of Selection requiring that it be consisted of four Government members, four from A Partnership for National Unity and one vested with the Alliance for Change.
The Government however pointed to the constitution that says that the parties represented in Parliament must be proportionally reflected in the make-up of the committees.
The Government is arguing that the 49.2 percent bloc of the votes the administration secured at the November 28 election cannot be equated with the 40 percent secured by APNU and as such both parties cannot be saddled with the equal amount of seats/votes in the committees.
Teixeira told media operatives that the difference in votes for the PPP/C and APNU is some 40,000 and further her party commands the single largest bloc in the Assembly.
She said that the constitution is specific in saying that the parties have to be reflected and not a case of the Opposition and Government.
The Opposition has been arguing that the new dispensation where the combined opposition constitutes the majority of votes should also be reflected in the committee where the combined opposition will still hold the majority of votes.
The opposition in favour of this make-up and has proposed the 4-4-1 make up for the committee.
Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh says that the recent happenings in the House represent ‘ominous developments’ for the very principal of democracy in Guyana.
This sentiment was shared by Teixieria who also warned that this is something that the PPP/C has fought long and hard for and will not give up.
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