Read below the statement issued by the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) opposition:
The Office of the Leader of the Opposition views the manner in which the President has sought to engage members of parliamentary sector committees as a further disregard for the constitutional role of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and the independence of Parliament.
Members of Parliament are elected to represent the people of Guyana through their respective political parties. Opposition Members of Parliament do so collectively under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition, a constitutional office established to provide oversight and accountability of the Executive.
The President’s decision to bypass genuine engagement with the Leader of the Opposition and instead seek to engage individual parliamentary committees raises serious concern that this is an attempt to avoid meaningful engagement with the Leader of the Opposition.
The President’s invitation to members of the Foreign Relations Committee and the Economic Services Committee, sent without an agenda or indication of the matters to be discussed, is therefore troubling. These are parliamentary committees, not departments of the Executive.
Clarification was sought from the Speaker of the National Assembly, including a request for an agenda or an indication of the purpose of the proposed meeting. However, no meaningful response was received. Under these circumstances, WIN does not believe it is appropriate for its Members to participate in the meeting.
This decision is also informed by the wider treatment of members and supporters of the political opposition in recent weeks, including the unlawful detention, the unlawful seizure of phones and vehicles, and degrading treatment of persons while in state custody.
Of particular concern is the treatment of three staff members of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition who were detained by the authorities and made to remain in a state of undress in a cell with other men. Such treatment of staff attached to a constitutional office constitutes a serious affront to human dignity and raises grave human rights concerns. The Opposition cannot ignore these developments and participate as though normal institutional relations exist.
The Office of the Leader of the Opposition recognises the distinct constitutional role of the Office of the President. That recognition, however, cannot come at the expense of the independence of Parliament or the constitutional role and authority of the Office of the Leader of the Opposition.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐆𝐮𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐚.
WIN remains willing to engage with the Executive, where such engagement is conducted with transparency and proper respect for the institutions of our democracy.
Our democracy requires more than elections. It requires respect for Parliament, respect for political opposition, respect for human dignity, and the freedom of citizens to disagree with those in power without fear.
𝐖𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬.
– 𝐄𝐍𝐃 –
