Minister Teixeira formally asks House to address Opposition MPs’ Dec. 29 ‘gross misconduct’

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira has formally asked the National Assembly to take action to address the misbehaviour of several Opposition Members of Parliament (MP) who attempted to disrupt the parliamentary proceedings of December 29, 2021.  

The MPs in question include Opposition Chief Whip, Christopher Jones, Ganesh Mahipaul, Sherod Duncan, Natasha Singh-Lewis, Annette Ferguson, Vinceroy Jordan, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, and Maureen Philadelphia.

The MPs led an assault on the orderly proceedings of the House, when they attempted to prevent the passage of the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Bill 2021, which was tabled by government to set a transparent framework for the management of Guyana’s oil revenues.

“Of special note, Mr. Speaker, is that the space between the Government’s side and the opposition’s side is in any Parliament, considered the safe zone, the safe space. And any entrance without permission is interpreted as an act of aggression, and a threat to the safety of the members of Parliament,” Minister Teixeira told the National Assembly on Monday.

Their behaviour involved interfering with the technical systems employed by Parliament to broadcast proceedings to the public, verbally assaulting Parliament staffers, and taking away the Speaker’s Mace.

Minister Teixeira has described this attempted theft as a “treacherous act”. She asked that the violations committed by the eight Opposition MPs be referred to the Committee of Privileges, which handles matters relating to the powers and privileges of the National Assembly.

“This day will go down in the annals of the Guyana Parliament. The events during the debate on the Natural Resource Fund Bill have been recorded by the media, citizens, reporters, by persons who were viewing the livestreaming on that day. The evidence is overwhelming. This is recorded evidence that cannot be erased or forgotten. In fact, it was seen in Guyana nationally and globally.”

Despite their disruptive behaviour, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for finance, Dr. Ashni Singh was able to present an argument in support of the Bill, and it was passed. Later in the same session, Dr. Singh made further arguments in support of the Bill.