Latest update June 3rd, 2026 12:40 AM
Parliament in paralysis
(Kaieteur News) – The continued dormancy of Parliament, months after the passage of the 2026 National Budget is a direct assault on democratic accountability in Guyana. The government came to the nation with grand promises of an “aggressive and robust legislative agenda,” yet the reality has been the exact opposite: inertia, evasion, and a troubling abandonment of constitutional responsibility.
At the centre of this institutional paralysis is the failure to establish the full complement of parliamentary committees. Five months after the National Assembly reconvened, only two of eleven committees are operational, this newspaper reported recently. This is a clear case of a fundamental breakdown in the machinery of oversight. Standing Order 80 is explicit: these committees must be constituted at the commencement of each Parliament. There is no ambiguity, no loophole, no justification for this dereliction.
The absence of key sectoral committees such as: Social Services, Natural Resources, Foreign Relations, and Economic Services has effectively shut down meaningful scrutiny of critical national issues. Who is examining the troubling reports of vulnerable children in state care? Who is interrogating developments in the oil and gas sector, or holding mining operators accountable? Who is providing a parliamentary forum to address escalating tensions with Venezuela and the current violence at the border resulting in one soldier being shot? Who is scrutinising international agreements such as the so-called “Shield of the Americas”? The answer is simple: no one.
This vacuum of oversight is convenient. We know that without committees, there are no hearings. Without hearings, there are no questions and without questions, there is no accountability. Particularly alarming is the failure to reconstitute the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the single most important body for financial oversight. The last audit report reviewed dates back to 2019. In a country now awash with oil revenues and unprecedented public spending, this is nothing short of reckless. Billions of dollars have been expended between 2020 and 2025 without parliamentary scrutiny. The longer this continues, the deeper the shadows grow around public finances.
Opposition Chief Whip Tabitha Sarabo-Halley has pushed back against the state of affairs regarding the non-functioning of these committees, but her concerns have been met with silence. Her correspondence to the Speaker, Manzoor Nadir on March 4,remains unanswered. This indifference is telling. It signals either an inability or an unwillingness to uphold the basic functions of Parliament.
Meanwhile, Nadir appears preoccupied with international travel and presiding over a youth debating competition, while the country’s business continues to lag. While global forums and youth initiatives may have their place, they cannot take precedence over the core duty of ensuring that Parliament functions effectively. The people’s business is not a side project, it is the primary mandate.
Compounding this institutional stagnation is a broader pattern of governance that raises serious concerns. There have been no press conferences to address the nation. Constitutional requirements for the appointment of commissions are being ignored and allegations of press suppression persist.
At the same time, the executive branch appears detached from the domestic crisis. The President is frequently abroad, ministers are mired in controversy and allegations of unchecked accumulation of wealth continue to circulate. Whether involving questionable business dealings or attempts to obscure incidents involving politically connected individuals.
Equally troubling is the weakness of the opposition. Internal divisions and external pressures have rendered it largely ineffective at a time when robust challenge is most needed. Civil society, too, appears subdued. In this environment, the burden of speaking truth to power has fallen disproportionately on the independent press. But a democracy cannot rely on a single voice crying in the wilderness. Guyana stands at a pivotal moment in its history. With vast oil resources comes immense opportunity, but also immense risk. Without strong institutions, transparent governance, and active oversight, that wealth can easily become a curse rather than a blessing.
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One thought on “Parliament in paralysis”
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
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Sir. Ronald Sanders
The GHK Lall Column
Weekend Cartoon
Who needs Parliament when the decisions are made elsewhere by the
higher-ups of the PPP/C for the country ?
If the MP’s, Speaker are being paid for sitting at home instead of in Parliamentary sessions, why ? They are not earning their dues.
Manzoor Nadir’s hands are tied, acting only when Ali and Jagdeo want his
handcuffs removed, before entering Parliament.