There’s no alcohol abuse in Parliament’s lounge - Opposition MP, Alister Charlie

There’s no alcohol abuse in Parliament’s lounge – Opposition MP, Alister Charlie

Aug 24, 2018 News

Alcohol is indeed being served in the Members of Parliament lounge but only on special occasions.
This is according to Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Alister Charlie, agreeing with Telecommunications Minister, Cathy Hughes, that alcohol is not being purchased and abused, using taxpayers’ dollars during sittings of the National Assembly.
“I must not deny it (alcohol) is there, but not at every sitting. Not all the time…it will be only for ministers’ or MPs’ birthdays, or just like last time when we sat before we proceeded on the annual recess. Alcohol was there and during the Christmas time too.”
The MP, from Lethem, Region Nine, disclosed that the Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira has been “cautioning” colleagues of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) about drinking during sittings of the National Assembly.
In fact, during the Chief Whip’s birthday recently, there was no alcohol.
The issue of alcohol was sparked after a report by Kaieteur News indicated that almost $700,000 was being spent on food for National Assembly sittings.
The figures were part of the reports over time by the newspaper to show how taxpayers’ dollars are being utilized.
According to Charlie, he is very much aware of the public debate on the issue.
He insisted that MPs do not eat lobsters as it jokingly being peddled on social media.
“I saw the photoshopped image of a minister and one of our MPs eating lobsters. This is not so. Our food is not different. There is rice, chicken, fish, beef, pork and sometimes mutton. Some parliamentarians are vegans. I can’t say if anyone is getting special treatment. I can tell you what I know about.”
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, said recently that while he had no problem with the food, he was objecting to the large quantities of liquor in the lounge.
Another Opposition MP, Adrian Anamayah, had said that there was not a “problematic issue” about spending on meals; rather it is about the spending on alcohol during the sittings.
“The reality, as known by all Parliamentarians, as well as Parliament staff – but unconfirmed by the members of the media who are not allowed in the Parliament lounge – is that at sittings of the National Assembly, since the APNU+AFC Coalition took office, there is a plethora of alcoholic beverages being served in the lounge.”
Telecoms Minister, Cathy Hughes had denied that there was liquor in excess, disclosing that these were special occasions, for birthdays and end of year get-togethers.
She also defended the food bill of average $700,000 for each sitting.
She said more than 300 persons eat at every sitting, inclusive of the 65 MPs. These persons also include 40 media workers; 115 Parliament staffers; drivers and medical personnel.
According to Minister Hughes, she does not know which lounge Jagdeo, a former president, visits, but the lounge in which she eats, does not serve alcohol. Rather, there is a range of teas, coffees, juices and water.
She was quick to point out that there is alcohol served on occasions – at Christmas or when an MP would bring some for his or her colleagues during a birthday celebration, but these “are few and far between”.
Hughes said that it is a big disservice to Guyanese to hear that their hard-earned money is being
”wasted” and “squandered”.
Responding to questions about the food bill and other issues, Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs disclosed that the Assembly Committee of the National Assembly of the Parliament of Guyana considered and gave approval for a number of food suppliers to be invited through the restrictive bidding process, to bid for the supply of meals and snacks for sittings of the National Assembly and Committee Meetings.
The four suppliers that bid were Maggie’s Snackette and Catering Service; Ambience Restaurant and Catering Service; Carnegie School of Home Economics and Water Chris Hotel and Bar.
According to Isaacs, the contract was awarded by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) on 5th July, 2018 to Maggie’s Snackette and Catering Service for the supply of meals and snacks for sittings of the National Assembly and Committee Meetings.
It was reported sometime back that the cost of every sitting, for food; for putting up MPs in hotels and for paying travelling from out of the region, among other things, was over $1.5M.

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There’s no alcohol abuse in Parliament’s lounge – Opposition MP, Alister Charlie

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