Guyana is celebrated today for its “new-wave” democracy – PM

─ National Assembly sittings under Coalition single highest number in first three years of any Parliament since 1992

─ the end of 2018, sittings likely to surpass 110

DPI, Guyana, Monday, August 13, 2018

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has stated that Guyana is celebrated today for its “new-wave” democracy where the framework to protect entitlements of not just the present but future generations under a Natural Resources Fund and a Green State Development Strategy (GSDS) is being put in place.

Prime Minister, in his weekly column ‘My Turn’, said that the country is closer today to achieving a democratic system of governance with sustainable economic growth than ever before.

“Powerful surges in our new-wave democracy have been open and credible national and local government elections, a free media and an independent Parliament.”

Prime Minister stated that when the House went into recess on August 8, it had already met for 96 sittings in the first three years of the 11th Parliament (2015-2020) – under the Granger Presidency. By the end of 2018, sittings are likely to surpass 110, when the National Assembly would debate the 2019 National Budget, including consideration of estimates for constitutional and statutory agencies.

These sittings under the Coalition government would be the single highest number in the first three years of any parliament since 1992. Though truncated, there were only 62 sittings during the 7th (1997-2001) Parliament (under Janet Jagan Presidency) and 88 sittings during the 2011-2014 Parliament (under Donald Ramotar Presidency).

The Prime Minister listed some research on sittings: –

6th Parliament	17th Dec 1992 to 28th Oct 1997	105
7th Parliament	26th Feb 1998 to 13 Feb 2001	62
8th Parliament	4th May 2001 to 2nd May 2006	126
9th Parliament	28th Sept 2006 to 22 Sept 2011	166
10th Parliament	12th Jan 2012 to 10th July 2014	88

Prime Minister Nagamootoo expressed disappointment when he read a Kaieteur News columnist saying: “There have been very few sittings of the House for 2018”; and that Guyana has a “dormant Parliament”.

He explained that “it had become necessary for me to leave the jurisdiction for a much-delayed medical check-up since I had triple heart bypass surgery six months ago. I concede that ‘private business’ did not quite explain why I travelled overseas. But I can assure that it was not on a folly in order to sabotage the Parliament.”

Gabreila Patram

Image: Department of Public Information

 

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