The cancellation of yet another Parliamen-tary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting on Monday has seen opposition members slamming the government side for failing to honour their obligations and commitments to the House.
A meeting was scheduled for Monday but upon arrival opposition members were informed that the meeting had been cancelled, as there was no quorum as government members were absent.
“The entire opposition side of the House showed up for (Monday’s) PAC only to be told that the government side is unavailable,” a clearly disappointed Opposition Member, Ganesh Mahipaul, said on Monday.
The government’s consistent absence, he noted, is a clear indicator that they have no respect for the guardrails of democracy, transparency and accountability.
“A walking dictatorship is with us in the name of the PPP/C and the people will continue to suffer under these circumstances unless they speak up and speak out,” Mahipaul asserted.
Efforts to contact Minister of Governance and Parliamentary Affairs, Gail Teixeira proved futile, and Public Works Minister Juan Edghill in a brief comment said he had asked to be excused due to his pressing schedule.
“I have other commitments and I have made that known. I don’t want to be commenting on one thing over and over,” he stressed when contacted by this newspaper.
Monday’s cancellation is the ninth for the year, throwing the already backlogged committee further behind.
The Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton, on Saturday berated the governing PPP/C over the cancellation.
“What is even more astounding is that this trend persists into 2023, with eight… cancellations already recorded and counting. Adding to the gravity of the situation, sixteen… of these cancellations have occurred since the change in the quorum requirement.”
Norton’s office noted that from January 25, 2021 up to the present day, an “astonishing” 20 PAC meetings have been cancelled.
Mahipaul posited that it is a clear indication that the government does not want the PAC to scrutinise their spending from 2021 to present and is continuing to use their power held in the quorum to delay the work of the PAC.
He added that in a democratic society, the government is expected to act in the best interests of the people and to uphold the rule of law. In this regard, he iterated the people must call out the government for not honouring their elected duties.
The PPP/C government had used its majority in Parliament to change the quorum to require the presence of two members from each side of the committee plus the chairman who comes from the opposition side. Since then, many of the meetings have been cancelled as the PPP/C has not been able to mobilise two of its five members to attend.
“The consistent absence of government members from PAC meetings, despite the need for two members from their side to establish a quorum, is a glaring display of incompetence on the part of the government. The PAC explicitly mandates the presence of two government members, two opposition members, and the Chairman to carry out a legitimate meeting,” the statement said.
It added that in recent times, it has become the norm for the government side to be conveniently absent from these pivotal gatherings, often citing emergencies as their justification. However, this excuse, the statement noted, raises doubts about the authenticity of the government’s claims and reveals either a lack of adequate planning, organisation, and commitment to discharging their responsibilities, or a deliberate attempt by the government to avoid being accountable for the nation’s money.
“This recurring absence by the government side underscores a broader issue of incompetence within the current regime. Since assuming office, Guyana has been plagued by a series of unfortunate events. Yet, the fact that the entire government cannot muster the presence of just two members for a significant PAC meeting speaks volumes about their overall lack of competence or their deliberate attempt to avoid being accountable,” it further stated.
The statement added that the PAC serves a pivotal role in financial oversight, ensuring transparency, and upholding accountability in government operations. “The absence of government members not only dismisses the importance of these meetings but also undermines the fundamental principles of good governance, that of accountability.”
The Office of the Leader of the Opposition observed that when an entire government fails to fulfill the requirement of having two members present for a crucial PAC meeting, “it is an unequivocal demonstration of incompetence and an unwillingness to be accountable.”
In light of this persistent pattern of absence, the statement asserted that it is imperative to hold the government accountable for their “incompetence and deliberate sabotage” of the work of Parliament.
Teixeira has repeatedly dismissed the opposition’s claims that her side of the PAC is attempting to stymie the work of the body.
Speaking with Stabroek News in February this year, Teixeira had cited the requirement to attend back-to-back meetings, making it impossible for her to attend the scheduled PAC sessions. She however noted that all five members from her side have submitted excuses for not being able to attend the sitting due to other commitments.
In defending her tabling of the motion to change the quorum, Teixeira had said that the amendment offered protection to both sides of the National Assembly. She argued that the 2-2-1 formula provides for greater participation when scrutinising the Auditor General’s reports and secures representation of both sides. She pointed out that on two occasions, while the government side of the House was absent, the opposition made decisions without their input. Prior to the quorum change, meetings could be convened with the chairman and two other members.
