Guyana: MP Walton-Desir Raises Concerns Over Committee Appointments

Member of Parliament Amanza Walton-Desir, who leads the Forward Guyana party, has publicly criticized her exclusion from all parliamentary committees, describing it as a political “double standard.” Walton-Desir has directed her accusations towards Speaker Manzoor Nadir and Government Chief Whip Gail Teixeira, alleging that they have played a role in her removal from committee representation.

In a media statement, Walton-Desir emphasized that her objections are not motivated by personal ambition but stem from what she perceives as an unconstitutional and selective application of parliamentary rules. She argues that this undermines democratic representation for smaller political parties. Walton-Desir noted that her nominations to various standing select committees, which had support from both A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), were rejected by the Speaker.

The rejection was based on a proportional allocation formula that assigns committee seats according to the total electoral votes received by political parties. Walton-Desir contends that this formula is being unfairly applied against her party. She referenced past instances where representatives from smaller parties were appointed without facing similar mathematical barriers, citing the appointments of Lennox Shuman and Dr. Asha Kissoon, who were elected with fewer votes than her party received.

Despite these challenges, Walton-Desir has expressed her commitment to continue her advocacy work on behalf of her constituents. She has arranged to collaborate with WIN MP Odessa Primus, who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee, to provide external assistance to that committee and others needing her expertise.

Opposition Chief Whip Tabitha Sarabo-Halley supported Walton-Desir’s claims, stating that the opposition had planned to allocate some of their committee slots to her. Sarabo-Halley revealed that documentation had previously confirmed Walton-Desir’s membership in both the Foreign Relations Committee and the Constitutional Reform Committee, as well as an alternate position on the Natural Resources Committee. Additionally, APNU MP Ganesh Mahipaul had nominated Walton-Desir for a seat on the Parliamentary Management Committee.

However, Speaker Nadir and Chief Whip Teixeira maintained that, due to Forward Guyana holding only one seat in the assembly, Walton-Desir could not be assigned to any committees. Attempts by opposition factions to transfer committee slots to accommodate her were met with resistance from the Speaker, who ruled that once committee distributions are established, parties cannot transfer their seats to other political organizations.

This situation has sparked renewed discussions about minority representation in the National Assembly, raising questions about whether the current legislative framework is being adjusted to limit independent oversight in the context of the country’s growing economy.

Source: hgptv.com

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