Supsension of MPs intended to impugn their good character; it will be challenged – Coalition

The opposition coalition has not taken kindly to the recent suspension of eight of its Members of Parliament (MPs), labelling it as an alleged attempt by the government to dismantle the “guardrails of democracy” and to impugn the characters of its honourable parliamentarians.

The A Partnership for National Unity+ Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) MPs were suspended following an unruly opposition-organised protest in the House last December, in a failed attempt to block the passage of amendments to the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) Act. The nation witnessed opposition MPs on their feet blowing whistles and chanting in the House. There was also an attempt by an MP to wrestle away the symbolic Mace. Reports of damage to public property were also made.

The Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton subsequently remarked that the protest was done on behalf of the citizens. Norton has refused to acknowledge his “explanation” as a “justification”, because, according to him, to provide justification would imply wrongdoing.

Those MPs suspended are: Christopher Jones (Opposition Chief Whip), Ganesh Mahipaul, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Sherod Duncan, Vinceroy Jordan, Natasha Singh-Lewis, Annette Ferguson and Maureen Philadelphia. They were suspended for gross disorderly conduct, contempt, and breaches of privileges.

But according to the APNU+AFC, its MPs were not afforded the opportunity to be heard. It stated that the MPs received letters from the Clerk of the Committee of Privileges on March 1, 2022, requesting that they state why they should not be sanctioned. They were expected to show cases, in writing, by March 7, 2022.

The party said that eight Members of Parliament responded between March 4 and 7, 2022, requesting further information from the Clerk of the National Assembly on the allegations, “since the motion, which referred them to the Committee of Privileges “never specified which of their acts so qualified”.

“To this date, July 16th, 2022, none of the eight Members of Parliament has received a response from the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Clerk of the Committee of Privileges, or the Speaker of the National Assembly. The Opposition MPs are now however in receipt of a report from the Committee of Privileges which has ascribed to them several false and trumped-up acts intended to impugn their good character,” the party said.

Further, it labelled the suspension as “unconstitutional”,  because the supreme law of the land enshrines the right of all citizens to natural justice; that is, the right of every Guyanese, regardless of the charges, to be given an opportunity to be heard by a competent, independent, and impartial court or any other tribunal prescribed by law.

Secondly, it argued that the suspensions were “unparliamentary”, because all MPs brought before the committee, were afforded the opportunity to be represented by legal counsel of their choice and were all given the opportunity to be heard.

Lastly, the Coalition contended that the suspensions are tantamount to “political discrimination and suppression, aimed at deterring and intimidating Opposition MPs from fully scrutinizing and criticizing the actions of the government on behalf of the Guyanese people”.

“It is our firm conviction that this is yet another attempt by the PPP regime to continue breaking down the guardrails of our democracy. But our lawmakers will not sit back and allow such an unconstitutional act to go unchallenged. We wish to assure our supporters, friends, and all Guyanese that this illegal act to suspend eight Members of Parliament without due process will be challenged. We also thank the thousands of Guyanese who called and sent messages of support. We will continue to fight for our Guyana and we know the people of Guyana are standing strong with us.”