Reacting to the Government's decision to summon a sitting of the National Assembly today, PNC/R Member of Parliament, Ms. Deborah Backer said in a statement that the party considers its participation in Parliament to be of paramount importance, but it will not allow itself to be manipulated.

Backer noted that a motion she submitted on June 14 last year, dealing with the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry into the leadership, functions and effectiveness of the Police Force, is to be discussed today in Parliament.

She said the Government was fooling no one "by the timing of this belated placing of the motion on the Order Paper" for today's sitting and accused the governing People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) of continuing to block the establishment of the Parliamentary Management Committee.

Given the recent statement by Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon that no Commission of Inquiry will be set up, questions the effect of the National Assembly's debate of her motion, Backer argued.

On Friday March 15, the PNC/R Parliamentary group withdrew from participation in the House, claiming that the Government has not displayed good governance, has refused to implement agreed constitutional changes, has not fulfilled obligations made during the dialogue process between President Bharrat Jagdeo and PNC/R leader, Mr. Desmond Hoyte, and that there was a clear intention to subvert the National Assembly and prevent it from functioning in a structured and effective manner.

"In the context of the PPP/C's continued intransigence, there will be no business as usual", Backer declared.