PPP criticises Deputy Speaker’s ruling
Guyana Chronicle
January 26, 2007
THE People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has called a ruling this week by Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms. Clarissa Riehl, a flagrant violation of the Parliament and a partial political decision and is calling on her to act in a principled, professional and impartial manner.
The party claimed the Deputy Speaker breached Standing Order No. 39, Right of Reply, Clauses one and two, which state: “(1) The mover of a motion may reply after all the other members present had an opportunity of addressing the Assembly and before the question is put, and after such reply, no other member may speak, except as provided in paragraph 2 of this standing order. (2) A minister may conclude a debate on any motion which is critical to the government or reflects adversely on or is calculated to bring discredit upon the government or a government officer.”
The party was referring to the ruling in the National Assembly Tuesday on a motion brought before the House by Mr. James McAllister of the People’s National Congress Reform-One Guyana (PNCR-1G) with respect to the Berbice River Bridge project.
The PPP, the main partner in the governing PPP/Civic alliance, charged that when Prime Minister Samuel Hinds rose to speak on the motion under Standing Order 39 (2) he was prevented from doing so by Ms. Riehl.
It argued that the Standing Order permits a minister of the government, whether he is the mover of the motion or not, to close a debate.
There is no ambiguity in this clause, it stated, and recalled that at the training session conducted a week ago by a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association delegation, this question was raised by the PNCR and they were explicitly told that a minister always has that right.
In fact, the PPP said, the particular Standing Order was taken completely from the UK’s Parliamentary Standing Orders and has been in the Standing Orders of the Guyana Parliament for a long time.