Govt Chief Whip says “gross misconduct” by Opposition MPs could be handled one of three ways

Jan 22, 2022 News

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Kaieteur News – During an NCN interview on Thursday, Government Chief Whip and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, stated that the “gross misconduct” by the Opposition Members of Parliament in the National Assembly last month, could be handled one of three ways.

Kaieteur News reported that the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Bill 2021, was passed in the National Assembly amid chaotic in-House protest by the Opposition MPs.
Ignoring mounting criticisms and appeals to have the NRF Bill sent to a special select committee for proper consideration and input from the citizenry, the PPP/C Administration used its one-seat majority to ram it through the House on Wednesday night, December 29, 2021.
When Minister, with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, was invited by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir – to deliver his remarks on the Bill – it was at this point the House erupted into mass confusion. Opposition members started chanting, “No thieving Bill must pass!” as they slammed the bottom of their plastic water bottles to their desks in rhythmic fashion and unison.
During the interview, Minister Teixeira first noted that when the National Assembly resumes on Monday, the act of disciple is on the Parliamentary agenda, among the tabling of three bills.
“For all of us who have just entered Parliament and for those of us that’s been there for a while…I think it’s the worst form of behaviour I have ever seen in our Parliament,” she said.
Teixeira noted that the Opposition MPs behaviour is considered “gross misconduct” and “gross serious disorder”. As such she stated that Parliament has to determine, whether it would allow the incident to go unpunished or what actions they will take.
She stated that the whole country would have seen the video of what transpired in Parliament the night the NRF Bill was passed and when the mace was seized by two Opposition MPs.
To this end, she noted that what was not shown on camera is when another MP reportedly damaged the control room at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) where Parliament was held and when a Parliamentary staff was assaulted verbally and physically.
As such she noted that one of three measures can be taken to handle the matter. “We have a number of options open to us…the Speaker can call on a Minister of Government to call for the suspension of X number of members. The Speaker can also be willing that the matter go to the privilege committee which he chairs, and the government in its own right can go to the Speaker in the Assembly and call for X member to go to the privilege committee,” she explained.
The Minister noted that on Monday, one of the aforementioned measures will be invoked in the National Assembly. She highlighted the power the Speaker has in accordance with the Standing Orders and condemned the behaviour of the Opposition MPs.
Moreover, she added that the actions of Parliament do not preclude the actions of the Guyana Police Force (GPF). “The police may or may not take in…what damage was done to public property; the Mace is public property, the control room is public property and of course the assault on a member of staff,” Teixeira noted. She said too that those are issues the police would have an interest in and they will determine what actions they can take.
Kaieteur News had reported that Chief Whip for the Parliamentary Opposition, Christopher Jones was first to lead the charge for a stay of the debate as he recalled the criticisms the Bill faced from various quarters since being tabled in the House on December 16, 2021. However, the Speaker refused to allow Jones’ petition to go through as he instructed him to save his words for when the debate gets underway.
After the Opposition MPs started protesting it was then elevated to members circling the Finance Minister as they continued their wailing with the intention to drown the sound of his voice. Some opposition members even crowed the podium where the Minister stood as they screamed, whistled and howled at him.
Despite some members throwing themselves into a fit of anger or frustration and one even attempting to make good her escape with the Speaker’s mace, Dr. Singh still pushed through and delivered his presentation on the importance of the Bill. After a notably short speech, the Speaker then rushed the consideration of the entire Bill’s clauses simultaneously and moved for a vote. The government members all gave their stamp of approval and the Bill which was expected to see 21 speakers was passed with all of its troubling flaws.
Additionally, since the Bill was tabled on December 16, Kaieteur News has been at the forefront of highlighting some of the key loopholes that could give way to massive corruption, borrowing frenzies, as well as spending sprees. In the Bill, there are various methods of calculations for the withdrawal of the nation’s oil dollars. But if there is a major natural disaster, the government has the power to override those rules in place and withdraw any amount it deems fit for the said emergency. Importantly, there is no provision that caters for any abuse of this “emergency” mechanism.

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