Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones has raised concerns over meetings not being held by the parliamentary sectoral committees.
He told the National Assembly last week Monday during the 2024 Budget Debate that the parliamentary committees play a crucial role in enabling the thorough examination of government policy and administration.
According to Jones, it is disheartening and unacceptable that parliamentary committees, including sectoral committees are inactive or are yet to be established even as they enter the fourth year of the 12th parliament.
He related that the Natural Resources Committee did not meet in 2021 and 2022 under the Chairmanship of Natural Resources Minister Vickram Bharrat in the wake of Guyana’s nascent oil and gas sector. However, in 2023 under the Chairmanship of Dawn Hastings-Williams, it held six meetings.
Amid the simmering Guyana-Venezuela border controversy, the Opposition Member of Parliament highlighted, that the Foreign Relations Committee is hardly functioning.
“Especially in light of the ongoing case in the International Court of Justice, the recent significant military build-up by Venezuela along the border, and Venezuela’s announcement in October and subsequent hosting of a referendum on December 3, 2023, with the alarming objective of annexing two-thirds of Guyana’s territory, it is deeply concerning that, in the year 2023, the Foreign Relations Committee, responsible for addressing such critical matters, convened only twice,” he stated. That Committee is chaired by Foreign Minister Hugh Todd.
Jones also expressed dismay over the Security Sector Committee’s failure to meet in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on the Security Sector has responsibility for examining the Disciplined Forces of Guyana. The committee has the power to co-opt experts or enlist the aid of other persons of appropriate expertise, whether or not such experts or persons are Members of the National Assembly.
Influx
“The crime situation in Guyana is out of control now more than ever. Coupled with our local challenges is that of the influx of migrants which have now added its own challenges for law enforcement authorities,” Jones told the House. He added that it was alarming that a committee of such importance which is chaired by Prime Minister Mark Phillips held zero meetings for 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Turning his attention to the Committee on Appointments, Jones said that this body, chaired by Minister of Governance Gail Teixeira, met three times in 2023.
He, however, noted that there is a need for further meetings and submission of nominations for the Rights of the Child Commission to Parliament. Additionally, he said, the Statutory Instrument Committee and Standing Orders Committee were never convened for the period 2020-2023.
Teixeira has acknowledged that the sectoral committees of parliament did not meet as often as they should have last year.
Teixeira made this acknowledgment on January 10 this year during a press conference facilitated by her ministry at its office in New Garden Street, Queenstown, Georgetown.
The minister expressed the hope that these committees would strive towards meeting “at least once a month.” She also noted that last year, some of the sectoral committees met bi-weekly while others met once a month. Further, she said, the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations/Affairs encountered a few delays in hosting meetings due to the illness of its former chairperson Raphael Trotman.
“I had asked Mr Trotman to schedule a meeting concerning Venezuela back in 2022, but this was not done due to his illness, I believe,” Teixeira said.
She noted that Trotman subsequently resigned and his portfolio became vacant which was eventually filled by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd.
She said that since Todd took up his mandate as Chairman of the Sectoral Committee on Foreign Affairs, two meetings were held.
As regards the Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources, Teixeira said she saw notices about meetings being held but could not say if they were indeed conducted. However, Opposition Member of Parliament Deonarine Ramsaroop (a sitting member of that committee) when contacted said that under the stewardship of Hastings-Williams, over seven meetings were held in 2023.
He said that during those meetings presentations were made by Minister Bharrat on the performance of the natural resources sector. Ramsaroop said the Sectoral Committee also convened interviews with the subject minister and Guyana Geology and Mines Commission Head Newell Dennison.
Director of the Local Content Secretariat Dr Martin Pertab was also interviewed by the Sectoral Committee on Natural Resources, he said. He added that ExxonMobil Guyana Limited is expected to do its next presentation at the committee’s meeting which is scheduled this year.
As it relates to the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services, which is chaired by Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud, Teixeira said that as far as she knows meetings were convened.
Turning her attention to the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Economic Services chaired by APNU+AFC’s Shurwayne Holder, the Minister of Governance said meetings were held.
Teixeira concluded that while she does not wish to cast blame on anyone, she is of the view that the respective sectoral committees need to convene meetings at least once a month.
The sectoral committees, in the exercise of their responsibilities, have the power to examine all policies and administration for each sector to determine whether the execution of government policy aligns with the principle of good governance and is in the best interest of the nation. (Antonio Dey)
