The Government of Guyana’s ramming of the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) legislation through the parliament is tantamount to a departure from parliamentary norms and a breach of the Constitution, particularly Article 13, which mandates inclusivity, says opposition party, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR).
Article 13 states, inter alia, that the principal objective of the system of the State is to establish an inclusionary democracy by providing increasing opportunities for the participation of citizens and their organizations in the management and decision-making processes of the State, with particular emphasis on those areas of decision-making that directly affect their well-being.
Reading from a prepared statement this morning, party member, Rear Admiral (Retired) Gary Best, told reporters that the party and by extension, the main parliamentary opposition, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) continues to be sidelined by the government.
He said the opposition intends to stop paying lip service and to actively pursue other political actions against the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
“There are plans, as we’ve indicated on several occasions, to move beyond rhetoric and to exercise other political actions including possible court actions on the issue of violations of the Constitution. So, the party intends to look at these issues carefully and to consult our vast array of attorneys to determine the best way forward,” he said.
He added that aside from litigation, civil society, the diplomatic community, and international players must also apply pressure on the government to ensure that the opposition is consulted in considering the future of the sector.
“So, outside of the court and court action, we believe that international community, that wrote favourably on many issues in Guyana, should also take part in this process to bring the PPP to understand that no matter how much you are responsible for government, you alone cannot govern,” he added.
The passage of the NRF Law 2021 in December last year was cast into controversy after APNU+AFC parliamentarians staged a protest in the House to block the bill.
The nation saw an APNU+AFC member forcibly remove the Speaker’s mace. The PNCR later sought to justify the act by saying it was “safeguarding” the future of Guyanese.
Importantly, the opposition which now accuses the PPP/C government of taking unilateral control of the future of the nations oil revenues, had also done same back in 2019. Following the successful passage of the PPP’s No-Confidence Motion on the evening of December 21, 2018, the coalition regime still pushed through with the passage of the NRF 2019 law in the absence of the PPP which had served in the opposition. And more importantly, the law was pushed through when the life of Parliament had essentially come to an end with the passage of the No-Confidence motion.
