Guyana: Walton-Desir Criticizes Committee Appointment Decision

Amanza Walton-Desir, a Member of Parliament in Guyana, has expressed her discontent regarding her exclusion from parliamentary sectoral committees, arguing that claims of maintaining proportional representation are misleading. In a video statement released on Monday, Walton-Desir rejected assertions that her inclusion on a committee would have altered the balance of representation in the National Assembly. She stated, “Nobody asked to disturb the balance of proportionality. Nobody asked for a new seat. Nobody asked for the formula to be changed.”

Walton-Desir explained that the proposal put forth by the APNU and WIN parties merely sought to have her occupy one of the existing committee positions held by the opposition. “The numbers never changed, only the person did,” she argued. She contended that repeated references to proportionality have distracted from the central issue at the heart of the dispute. “When you hear them say proportionality, what they’re really saying is that we have an objection, but we cannot name that objection,” Walton-Desir declared.

She further questioned the consistency of parliamentary rules, noting that smaller parties have been accommodated in previous arrangements. “If proportionality is your sacred governance principle, if it is the thing that you’re willing to go to the mat for, then you should be willing to apply it where it matters most,” she said. Walton-Desir also addressed comments made by Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir, who suggested that she may have been “set up” through the nomination process. She rejected this notion, insisting that her nomination complied with parliamentary procedures. “If no rule was broken, there couldn’t be a set up,” she stated.

Walton-Desir emphasized that neither the Speaker nor government representatives have identified any rule that was violated by her nomination. She expressed concern about remarks interpreted as warnings to parliamentarians who challenge decisions of the Chair, stating, “That is not a procedural reminder. That is a threat.” According to her, such comments risk undermining confidence in parliamentary processes and could discourage elected representatives from questioning decisions they believe are unfair.

The dispute over committee appointments has emerged as one of the first significant parliamentary controversies involving Walton-Desir since her entry into the National Assembly under the FGM banner. She framed the issue as a broader matter of accountability and democratic governance, asserting that opposition members have a responsibility to challenge narratives they believe are inaccurate or misleading. “The only thing required for evil to prevail is for good men to do or say nothing,” she declared. Walton-Desir dismissed the idea that public officials should be insulated from criticism due to their years of service, stating, “Longevity and long service is not a substitute for accountability.” She indicated her intention to continue raising the issue both inside and outside Parliament, advocating for greater transparency, fairness, and respect for democratic representation.

Source: hgptv.com