Joint Opposition have taken their parliamentary dysfunction to heights of “unacceptability”—Dr. Luncheon

Mar 23, 2013 News

By Latoya Giles
Cabinet Secretary Dr. Roger Luncheon on Thursday said that the Joint Opposition Parties have taken their Parliamentary dysfunction to heights of unacceptability after they rejected Minister Clement Rohee and his Firearms (Amendment) Bill.
According to Dr. Luncheon, Cabinet contends that “rejection of the Bill must be thrown in their collective faces at every possible opportunity, nationally, regionally and internationally”.
“The poverty of their position is revealed by the contemporary talk of their intention to resubmit the very same Bill, whose enactment they submit as an opposition Bill.”
Dr. Luncheon told the media that this was the latest of the incomprehensible act, and has grave implications for the country, specifically with gun crimes and Guyana’s commitment to gun control and gun control efforts domestically and abroad.
“The question must be asked whether this practice by the opposition will be resorted to again in the parliament.”
The Bill, it was stressed, is aimed at strengthening local laws and conforming to international treaties and agreements in Caricom.
During his presentation, Rohee had noted that the amendment would make the trafficking of firearms and firearm/ammunition components unlawful.
No opposition member contributed to the debate. The only other Member of Parliament to speak was Rohee’s colleague, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett who emphasised the need for Guyana to join the world in the fight against gun crimes.
She noted that an AK-47 can be bought for US$200 and alluded to Rohee’s statement that this is because of the porous nature of Guyana’s borders.
Rohee, in the wake of the Bill being voted down said, “If they think this is a defeat for me it’s a victory for the government, because they (Opposition) will now have to explain why they would be voting against a Bill that is aimed at stemming the flow of firearms into Guyana as a whole or components”.
According to Rohee, the message being sent now seems to be that “we don’t mind firearms entering Guyana.”
Responding to Opposition Leader David Granger’s comment to the media that it was more dangerous to have him (Rohee) in place than to support the Bill, the minister had stressed that no one should be scared by Granger’s remark.

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Joint Opposition have taken their parliamentary dysfunction to heights of “unacceptability”—Dr. Luncheon

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