PPP General Secretary says at media briefing...
PNCR Parliament walkout an obstructionist tactic
by Mark Ramotar
Guyana Chronicle
November 4, 2003
THE People's Progressive Party (PPP) yesterday described the recent walkout by the main Opposition People's National Congress Reform (PNC/R) from last Thursday's sitting of the National Assembly as representing yet another manifestation of that party's obstructionist tactics calculated to disrupt the smooth functioning of the nation's affairs.
General Secretary of the PPP, Mr. Donald Ramotar, said the fact that substantial sums of money were involved in the holding of parliamentary sessions more so at this time when repairs to Parliament Building is in progress, seemed to be of no consequence to the PNC, which seemed to have established a reputation for extravagance and waste.
He noted that the pretext of the walk out this time was that the Customs Duties (Amendment) Bill was lodged with the Clerk of Parliament beyond the time prescribed by the Customs Act.
PNC/R Executive Member, Mr. Raphael Trotman, has since filed a writ in the High Court in which he said the declaration that the Customs Duties (Amendment) (No. 2) Order promulgated in the National Assembly on the 23 day of October, 2003 is "illegal, void and of no legal effect".
Ramotar, however, indicated that "if the PNC felt so strongly about this issue, why didn't they before the sitting, indicate to the Speaker or the Leader of the House, or the Parliamentary Management Committee so that the sitting could have been called off before and a lot of money could have been saved."
He said the PNC did not do so but instead waited until the National Assembly was in session and then began their "theatrics".
"It is apposite to point out that during the PNC's period in office, Bills and Orders going in late and suspension of the Standing Orders were more the rule than the exception," Ramotar recalled.
He said this type of behaviour of the PNC is not an isolated episode but a pattern that can be seen since the conclusion of the 1997 Elections. Ramotar also alluded to the violence that the PNC unleashed after the 1997 Elections when they called for a "forensic audit" of the results of that election. A team from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) came here and did such an audit, after which they reported that not a single fraudulent ballot was found.
Members of the District Grand Lodge of Guyana (English) last week presented articles valued at over $500,000 to the Uncle Eddie’s Home located on Jackson Street, Tucville.
The donation, which was one aspect of Lodge’s annual contribution to charitable organisations, comprised a microwave oven; pots, pans, and a cake-mixer among other articles.
Here, Grand Master of the District Grand Lodge, Brother Richard Fields makes the presentation to Supervisor of the Home, Ms Irmin Bourne. (Photo courtesy of Banks DIH)
Ramotar told a news conference at the PPP's Freedom House Headquarters yesterday that this did not stop the PNC from continuing their violence when the audit found the elections to be very clean.
"The PNC continued to attack the elections and took the issue to court. This time they argued that the Voter I.D. Card was unconstitutional (and) this was after they sat with the PPP, WPA and TUF and they all agreed to use the Voter I.D. Card," Ramotar posited.
He said it should also be noted that no one during or after the 1997 elections, made any complaint about the Voter's I.D. Card. "Lo and behold the PNC challenged it on that ground," he lamented.
According to Ramotar, it is clear that acting in a principled way is not one of the PNC's strong points.
"In the whole process millions of dollars had to be spent in this exercise. The PNC showed disinterest in constitutional reforms before 1997 and this was seen in the almost one year non-participation in the Bernard Commission set up in 1995."
"After that election, they became enthusiastic about a new constitution and in the process they played a full role, Ramotar said, recalling that it was the PNC that held the position of Secretary and headed the Secretariat of the Commission that was established to examine the constitution.
"After they lost the 2001 elections they began to demand another new constitution," he stated. "Clearly they seem intent on wasting more of the nation's scarce resources," Ramotar said. "The behaviour of the PNC on Thursday 23rd October is clearly the continuation of a pattern which is designed to waste resources in an effort to frustrate government's programmes designed to uplift the working and living conditions of all Guyanese," Ramotar stated.
"Any disruption that they can create or piggyback on others (as we saw during the upsurge in crimes during the period February 23, 2002 to May 2003) they do not hesitate to do. They seem to be working on the premise that the worst they can make it for the country the better it would be for them,' Ramotar asserted. In this regard, Ramotar said, "it is time that the PNC changes gear and becomes more constructive in the interest of our country".