The opposition PPP/C on Wednesday once more accused Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Barton Scotland of partisanship, saying that he has continued to belittle its members and has refused to give them a hearing on matters before the House.
“We are extremely disturbed by the Speaker’s… decision-making and reactions to the opposition members. We find it disrespectful and belittling the way he speaks to our MPs, including the Leader of the Opposition and this is not going down well,” opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira told a press conference.
Her comments come in wake of the many confrontations between PPP/C members and the Speaker during the just-concluded budget debate and, more recently, the controversial passage of the Tax (Amendment) Bill at last week’s sitting.
During the consideration of the budget estimates last month, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo said Scotland’s behaviour was becoming overbearing and that the PPP/C would fight future attempts to restrain its representation of the people.
“This has to stop. We are not here at the pleasure of the Speaker; we are here in service of the people of this country,” Jagdeo had said after a walkout of the National Assembly.
Teixeira complained on Wednesday that on many occasions the Speaker is not listening to the opposition on “simple matters” which require correction. “It is not rocket science… but this shutdown arrogance on the part of the government that seems to have the collaboration, cooperation of the Speaker on these matters is of concern,” she said.
Noting that she has been a Member of Parliament for a long time, Teixeira said the previous Speakers, including those appointed by the PPP/C, had shown “great respect” to both the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition.
Saying that the PPP/C was “disturbed” about the developments so far in the 11th Parliament, she reminded that in August last year she had called on the Speaker to make “his own legacy and to be his own man as Speaker.”
Teixeira said that the “cavalier treatment” of the opposition is “unacceptable” but added that the PPP/C will continue its work as it is in the National Assembly “at the behest of the people….whether they voted for us or not and we will continue to fight and we will continue in the parliamentary forum to fight for our rights to defend the constitution and to fight for what we believe is right for the Guyanese people….”
Even vote
Teixeira specifically criticised’s Scotland’s handling of the passage of the Tax (Amendment) Bill last Friday, despite there being an equal number of votes by the government and opposition.
The bill had been declared passed even though there were 32 votes on each side as Minister of Education Dr Rupert Roopnaraine was not present during voting. The PPP/C has since signaled its intention to challenge the passage, while saying that the constitution is clear that a majority of the votes of the members present and voting was needed for the passage of the bill.
“The issue that we did not call a division is a ruse. It is just an attempt to get egg off their faces. So, if that is how they want to play ball, we can also go to the rules and the constitution and the parliamentary practices to show that they are talking utter nonsense and it is unacceptable,” she said, while adding that the Speaker’s job is to uphold the constitution.
“You telling me that the constitution has been eroded and violated in the full face of the people sitting there and that no one must do anything… we are willing to accept that?” she questioned.
Noting that the Clerk is also there to act as an adviser and guide, Teixeira charged that if the Speaker is unclear as to what is to be done he can suspend the sitting, have a discussion with both sides of the House and then make a ruling.
“That is how it is done but to flat out to say to the opposition ‘it is your fault, you didn’t call a division,’ when knowing full well it is the constitution that must be upheld, you cannot pass a bill…without the majority of the elected members,” she lamented.
Teixeira questioned how the Speaker could not have seen who was in their seats when the bill was voted on, while noting that this was the rationale for having the Speaker’s chair higher that everyone else’s.
Asked if the PPP/C will look at exercising a no-confidence motion against the Speaker, Teixeira responded in the negative. “We will lose it. There is still a one-seat difference. The issue of if one goes in that direction has to be very specific… I don’t think we have reached that point. I am not saying that we have not reached that point but we haven’t reached that point yet and we believe that there is still the opportunity for the Speaker to do what is correct and that is to uphold the constitution and the provisions of the constitution in the National Assembly and to uphold parliamentary democracy,” she said.
