Prime Minister Mark Phillips has said that the PPP/C government is prepared to work with the new Leader of the Opposition but only if its legitimacy is recognised.
“I would like to reiterate our government’s position that we are ready to work with whoever is appointed or elected Leader of the Opposition in the interest of Guyana. What we ask in return is for the new Leader of the Opposition to accept the legitimacy of our government,” Phillips told the National Assembly on Friday night during his contribution to the national budget debate.
Phillips reminded the House that the PPP/C government was elected by the people of Guyana following one of the “most” peaceful elections in the country’s history.
Joseph Harmon resigned as Leader of the Opposition on January 26, following pressure for him to demit office and to make way for the new People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) leader Aubrey Norton.
Harmon was defeated last December in the contest for leadership of the PNCR but despite this he had clung to the post of Opposition Leader. However, the executive of the PNCR – the major component of APNU – voiced its support for Norton to assume the post.
And while former Minister of Education Nicolette Henry announced her resignation from the National Assembly last Wednesday — in order to pave the way for Norton to become an APNU+AFC Member of Parliament (MP) – no appointment was made up to end of the budget debate on Friday night.
President Irfaan Ali had previously refused to engage Harmon owing to the latter’s refusal to recognise the government as legitimate. The constitution does not require such recognition for consultation or meaningful engagement between the President and the Leader of the Opposition and Ali later did an about turn on the position, saying that he was committed to fulfilling his constitutional responsibilities, although he had yet to meet Harmon up to the time of his resignation.
During the first few minutes of his more than hour long contribution on Friday, Phillips faced heckling from members of the opposition whom he criticised for trying to hold on to power, including during the PNCR’s “undemocratic” 28 years in government.
While some opposition members accused Phillips of once being a member of the PNC, he denied the claim, saying he was never a politician until he joined the PPP/C. “I was never a PNC. I was a soldier without a party card. A professional soldier. If you can go and find a party card for me bring it. Never a PNC. Always a soldier serving in the interest of defence and security of Guyana. I became a politician on the 5th of January 2020, when I went on the stage in Kitty at the first rally for the PPP/C,” Phillips stated.
Turning his attention back to topic of Opposition Leader, Phillips said it was “worrying” that the post had not been filled.
“…We don’t have a Leader of the Opposition. Mr Harmon resigned and we are waiting for a leader. Still waiting. I am disappointed. We are all disappointed. I am sure you are disappointed because whoever is the new Leader of the Opposition should have been delivering that speech instead of walking around and handing out placards…That is what you relegate your Leader of the Opposition to? We need your Leader of the Opposition in this House doing the people’s work,” Phillips said before appealing to Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir to’ “intervene” and “resolve” the “conflict” so that there can be an Opposition Leader at the next sitting.
“We have a struggle for the position of Leader of the Opposition in your House Mr Speaker… I humbly ask of you Mr Speaker, to please intervene and resolve this conflict so that we can have a Leader of the Opposition by the next sitting. Our country deserves a Leader of the Opposition…We don’t want a one-sided arrangement, so we anxiously await your work, Mr Speaker, and we anxiously welcome the Leader of the Opposition,” Phillips said.
