Latest update December 4th, 2024 2:40 AM
Parliament Square officially opens to citizens
Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan, officially declared the Parliament Square open to the general public, yesterday. By this opening, citizens were allowed to view the live proceedings of the Ceremonial opening of the 11th Parliament via large monitors in place on Parliament Buildings soon after the Square was declared open.
Parliament Square
Minister Bulkan said the square is open for use by members of the public. He added that since those who are in Parliament will be representing the citizens of the country, the new administration strongly believes that their (citizens) involvement is important.
“Our Members of Parliament (MPs) are sent there by the people, and they are sent there to represent the interest of the people. It was a sad and unfortunate reflection that in the Tenth Parliament, the area around Parliament Buildings was actually cordoned off and a sort of sanitary environment was created during Sittings of the National Assembly.
“It was anomalous and an anathema, given the fact that the Members of Parliament who are there conducting the people’s business, that the people were actually kept away from proximity of Parliament Building.”
Minister Bulkan added that with the ceremonial opening of the Eleventh Parliament, the administration was signalling, “We are breaking away from that practice of keeping the people away from their representatives.”
Minister Bulkan said, “Member of Parliament Desmond Trotman in the last Parliament had successfully moved a Bill for the removal of the barricades during sittings of the Parliament, and despite its passage… the area around Parliament was still sort of cordoned off.
“We believe that the public should take pride and certainly take ownership of the activities that are the people’s business that are conducted during the National Assembly.”
The initiative was initially under the Central Housing and Planning Authority of the Ministry of Housing. However, according to Minister Bulkan, he will be seeking Cabinet’s approval to have its responsibility handed over to the Georgetown Municipality, as part of the Administration’s plan to build capacity in its Local Democratic Organs. (GINA)
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