MPs of the 12th Parliament sworn-in

—Govt’s side is a combination of youth, experience and gender balance

The sixty-five Members of the National Assembly of the 12^th Parliament took the Oath of Office today; thirty-three from the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), thirty-one from the APNU+AFC Opposition and one from the joinder parties – Liberty and Justice Party (LJP)/ A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and the New Movement Guyana (TNM).

The majority of the parliamentarians were sworn-in at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, while others did so virtually via the zoom platform. The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented the sitting at the Parliament Building.

A view of the first sitting of the 12th Parliament at the Arthur Chung Conference Center

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Hon. Charles Ramson Jnr. takes his Oath of Office in the first sitting of the 12th Parliament

Seasoned PPP/C Parliamentarian and Attorney General Anil Nandlall takes his Oath of office

Newly appointed Minister with the Ministry of Housing & Water, Hon. Susan Rodrigues, takes her Oath of Office

New MP and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Hugh Todd

The Government side of the House comprises of a balance of skills, youth, gender and ethnicity.

There are four attorneys-at-law, six medical doctors, economists, administrators, teachers, labour movement activists, media practitioners, religious leaders, farmers and entrepreneurs.

Among the newcomers are Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Hon. Susan Rodrigues, Public Affairs Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Kwame McCoy, Minister of Public Service, Hon. Sonia Parag and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Hon. Deodat Indar.

Newcomers also include Prime Minister, Hon. Brigadier, (R’etd) Mark Phillips, Minister within the Ministry of Local Government, Hon. Anand Persaud, Attorney-at-Law, Sanjeev Datadin, veteran Trade Unionist Seepaul Narine, Dr. Tandika Smith, and Lee Hakkim-Williams.

The seasoned Parliamentarians on the Government side are Vice-President, Hon. Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Hon. Mohabir Anil Nandlall and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Hon. Gail Teixeira.

Seasoned Human Services and Social Security Minister, Hon. Dr, Vindhya Persaud and Minister of Education, Hon. Priya Manickchand, as well as, Minister of Natural Resources, Hon. Vickram Bharrat and Minister of Health, Hon. Dr Frank Anthony also returned to the House.

Minister of Housing and Water, Hon. Collin Croal, Minister of Labour, Hon. Joseph Hamilton, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Hon. Nigel Dharamlall, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Hon. Charles Ramson Jr.,  Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Hon. Pauline Sukhai, Minister of Public Works, Hon. Bishop Juan Anthony Edghill, Alister Charlie, Dr Vishwa Mahadeo, Yvonne Pearson Fredericks, Dr Bheri Ramsaran, Dharamkumar Seeraj, Bhagmattie Veerasammy, and Dr Jennifer Westford are the other Government MPs.