The National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) Bill was last night formally sent to a special select parliamentary committee.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall made the request for the deferral ahead of the second reading of the bill, which seeks to establish a national intelligence agency. “I ask Your Honour’s leave to send this bill to a special select committee where that committee will determine how they will proceed with the bill,” he said in his request to Speaker Manzoor Nadir.
Last month, the government through Nandlall as Minister of Legal Affairs introduced the bill to the National Assembly with the intention of passing it through Parliament and into law. However, with public outcry coming from the Guyana Bar Association, the APNU-AFC, civil society and others, President Irfaan Ali ordered further consultation on the bill.