PARLIAMENTARY Affairs Minister, Mr. Reepu Daman Persaud yesterday rejected Opposition claims on the Parliamentary Management and Sectoral Committees, which should come up in today's scheduled meeting between President Bharrat Jagdeo and Opposition Leader, Mr. Desmond Hoyte.

The Stabroek News newspaper yesterday quoted People's National Congress Reform (PNC/R) representative on the Constitution Reform Commission (CRC), Mr. Haslyn Parris and The United Force (TUF) representative, Mr. Aubrey Collins, as saying that the CRC did not envisage the Government chairing the committees.

Persaud said the Government's position is that its nominees should chair the committees and that consistent with the Constitution, the Vice Chair should come from the Opposition.

"To convey the impression that the CRC envisaged that the sectoral committees be chaired by the Opposition representatives is inaccurate. Nowhere is that provision written. If that was the assumption then it would have been clearly stated, as is the case with the Public Accounts Committee where the Constitution provides for the Chairperson to come from the Opposition," Persaud argued.

Regarding the Opposition's rejection of ministers chairing the sectoral committees, he said that "as was clearly communicated to the Opposition," no government minister will chair his or her respective committee.

Persaud said the Government's position coincides with what obtains in the U.S., UK, and Canada among other established democracies.

He referred to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook which he said states that "with the exception of the Public Accounts Committee which is chaired by the opposition, and those previously mentioned which are chaired by the Leader of the House or the Speaker, all other committees are chaired by the Government members."

Pointing to the composition of the committees, the minister said the Government's position is no different from "the universally acceptable democratic principle," that according to Standing Order 72 (1) "every select committee shall be so constituted as to ensure so far as is possible that the balance of the parties in the Assembly is acceptable."

"Any demand for parity is considered contrary to the letter and spirit of the Standing Order of the National Assembly," Persaud said.

He said the Government remains committed to discussions on matters of good faith and will do so, but it "rejects misrepresentations of the Constitution as a device to impose on it any position."