Opposition being stonewalled

Mar 21, 2022 News

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– says Govt. blocking any Parliamentary scrutiny of oil issues

Kaieteur News – Apart from submitting to the National Assembly, questions and motions on oil and gas issues that need to be addressed, there is another mechanism the political opposition, the APNU+AFC Party, has at its disposal to ensure scrutiny of the government’s decisions and policies. This mechanism pertains to two key Standing Committees of the House: the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources and the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Economic Services.

Interestingly, neither of these committees has examined a single decision or policy ever executed by the PPP/C Government since the Twelfth (12th) Parliament was opened on September 1, 2020. It therefore means that it has been 18 months since these parliamentary committees have optimally executed their duties with respect to the oil sector. In fact, Kaieteur News recently contacted Yannick December, Parliament’s Public Relations Officer to ascertain the number of times these committees have met. December related that the Natural Resources Committee has not held a single meeting since the start of the 12th Parliament while the Committee on Economic Services has met a few times. On those occasions, however, only matters related to the Agriculture Sector were examined.
This publication subsequently contacted Shurwayne Holder, PNC/R’s Chairman and Vice Chair of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Economic Services to ascertain why the opposition has not pushed for more meetings to scrutinise the oil sector, and when it would do so. Holder was keen to note however that it is not that the political opposition is bereft of interest to examine issues in the oil sector. He emphatically stated that efforts have been made to do so but the opposition is essentially being stonewalled.
In explaining some of the challenges in this regard, Holder said, “Currently, the chairmanship for the Economic Services Committee rotates. One year I am head and then (Public Works Minister, Bishop Juan) Edghill takes over from there. My chairmanship, the stint was short, while it was over the year, you have to remember there was no parliamentary activity for 100 days due to COVID and then you had budget activities and we were waiting to get that over with.”
Holder continued, “that being said, when we got into the work of the committee to set the work plan, I wanted to focus on oil; that was my priority, I wanted to look at critical issues such as the US$900M gas-to-shore project, and even full coverage insurance… but government has a majority at the committee and so they can influence how the programme is set…” Holder said for the time being, the committee is stuck on examining issues pertaining to the agriculture sector, which painstakingly, is moving at a snail’s pace. The Vice Chair commented too that there is also the perception that the economic services committee should not examine matters pertaining to oil and gas, and that the said subject should be handled in full by the Natural Resources Committee, which is chaired by Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat.
“…I am challenging this perception as I don’t agree with it. I have asked the Clerk of Committees to talk with the Clerk of the National Assembly to present a firm position on it because I want it to be discussed in my committee. I think it has relevance there,” Holder expressed. Taking the foregoing issues, among others into consideration, the Vice Chair holds the view that the government is mounting a concerted effort to prevent parliamentary scrutiny of the oil sector on all fronts.
According to Parliament’s website, the Sectoral Committee on Economic services has the power to examine all policies and administration for each sector to determine whether the execution of Government policy is in consonance with the principle of good governance and in the best interest of the nation.
Along with Holder and Edghill, other members of the committee include Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar; Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud; PPP/C MP Alister S. Charlie; PPP/C MP Seepaul Narine; APNU+AFC Parliamentarian Haimraj B. Rajkumar; APNU+AFC MP Juretha V. Fernandes; and APNU+AFC Parliamentarian Dineshwar N. Jaiprashad.
With respect to the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources, it is also empowered to examine all policies and administration for each sector to determine whether the execution of Government policy is in consonance with the principle of good governance and in the best interest of the nation. Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Outar Bharrat is the Chair while the Vice Chair: is the APNU’s Dawn Hastings-Williams. Other members include Minister of Home Affairs, Brindley H.R. Benn; Anand Persaud, Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development; Faizal M. Jaffarally-PPP Member; Lee G.H. Williams-PPP Member; and from the opposition: Catherine A. Hughes of the AFC; Vincent P. Henry of the APNU+AFC ; and Deonarine Ramsaroop, also from the APNU+AFC.

 

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