-as Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference opens
Speaking yesterday at the opening of the 46th Conference of the
Caribbean, the Americas, and the Atlantic Regions of the Common-wealth Parliamentary Association here, President Irfaan Ali stated that much more can be done to foster a culture of dialogue and inclusion as he stressed that modern parliaments must be protected.
Ali said that the foremost challenge in protecting parliamentary democracy is to ensure respect for free and fair elections, the very basis of representative governments and parliaments as he stressed that elections that are truly reflective of the people’s will are the cornerstone of any democratic society.
Emphasising the importance of protecting constitutional rights, Ali told the gathering at the Umana Yana that in Guyana when human rights are violated, when freedoms are curtailed and when the rule of law is subverted, democracy is not only undermined, but is put at a risk of collapse.