Another day that passes without a sitting of the National Assembly exposes Guyana to potential dictatorship, says Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon. The former State Minister in an address to the nation today, lamented the slothfulness in the recommencement of sittings of the National Assembly. According to him, today marks 52 days since the conclusion of recess and no assembly has been held. This hiatus could have dire consequences on the lives of citizens, and likely shade the government from scrutiny, Harmon stressed.
Even worse, the leader said that this delay is not one-off. In fact, he argued that a pattern exists which illustrates similar delays since August 2, 2021, when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) was declared the victor of the March 2, 2020, polls. He said that a two-month delay ensued after the change of government. He took credit for the resumption of sittings last year, saying that his party was forced to engage the international community to apply pressure. But another 94-day hiatus followed after the passage of the 2021 National Budget, he said.
Harmon lamented that the delay in the recommencement of sittings bars the party from seeking answers to more than 60 questions related to the operation of the Oil and Gas sector, the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, security, governance and local government. He is calling on Guyanese to demand the recommencement of sittings.
“This absence of sittings of the National Assembly is a slap in the face of democracy and is evidence of a growing dictatorship in Guyana. The installed regime continues to embarrass the people of this country with their undemocratic actions…The non-sitting of the National Assembly is something which we should all take notice of and we should sound our voices as all right-thinking Guyanese…The Guyanese people must come out and make their voices heard.”
