Uncertainty looms today

Jan 08, 2009 News

Constitutionality, consultation, interpretation, definition of law as against applied as law and application of Parliamentary Standing Orders among other technical jargons were spewed for hours during the last sitting of the National Assembly, leaving the Speaker unable to pronounce on whether the Trade Union Recognition (Amendment) Bill 2008 should be proceeded with at that sitting.

Uncertainty now looms over what will transpire today in the National Assembly when the now controversial piece of legislation comes up for debate even as the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) and the Opposition parties are still assessing their best strategy for today’s session.

No option has been ruled out, including militancy. GTUC president, Gillian Burton, insists that such a piece of legislation has far reaching consequences for the working populace and there should have been national consultations.

On Tuesday last, the GTUC President withdrew her organisation from any further talks with Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir, whilst renouncing all of the proposed amendments to the Principal Act.

The GTUC had earlier asked for the meeting to be postponed, citing a need for greater consultation given that the legislation would have far reaching consequences for each public servant in Guyana.

This apparently was denied by the Minister who sought to have an “in house” discussion which, according to Burton, was not adequate consultation.

She contended that the Minister had clandestinely tried to hurry the Bill through the National Assembly, but it was only after staunch opposition by the Alliance for Change, People’s National Congress Reform and the GTUC that the Speaker of the House caused the Bill to be deferred.

According to Burton, at that time the GTUC was not even in possession of a copy of the legislation. She said that since then, there have been no proper or adequate consultations with the relevant stakeholders.

The GTUC president said that the body was not going to let the situation rest and that all the relevant international organisations will be alerted to the issue.