The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) said on Thursday it was shocked at the behaviour displayed in Guyana’s National Assembly on Wednesday as the government passed major legislation for oil and gas operations in the South American country.
See full statement from GCCI below:
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) wishes to place on public record its strong condemnation of the behaviour of some members of the Parliamentary Opposition in the evening of the 29th December, 2021 at the 34th Sitting of the National Assembly. Having a keen interest in listening to the debate on the Bills which were in the House, it is with utter shock and dismay that members of the GCCI, witnessed a devolution of the Parliamentary proceedings into what can best be described as hooliganism.
The cacophony only subsided when an attempt to remove the Speaker’s ceremonial mace by a Member of Parliament (MP) was made – an intolerable action under any circumstance. The Chamber of Commerce views this type of action as disrespect to the Chairperson of the highest decision-making body of Guyana. The GCCI is of the view that this type of behaviour has no place in a modern society where civil discourse and debate ought to be the underpinnings of the dialectical process which obtains in Parliament. Further, the GCCI strongly condemns the racist remarks which were being hurled by an MP at a Parliamentary staffer who attempted to protect the mace from further malignant intent. Discrimination, on any grounds, ought not to be any part of our Guyana.
The Chamber of Commerce wishes to remind Parliamentarians, particularly those who wish to engage in recalcitrant and unbecoming behaviour, that they are representatives of the people of the Republic of Guyana at a time when the country has international attention. Such reprehensible behaviour has the ability to further damage the credibility of our country as a stable society and environment for doing business – a credibility already under strain by the attempt to subvert the will of the electorate in General and Regional Elections (GRE) 2020.
Therefore, the GCCI calls on the Honourable Speaker of the National Assembly to ensure that those responsible for the breakdown of order be dealt with condignly and with great alacrity. The Chamber would also like to use this opportunity to reiterate its support for the Local Content Legislation and the Natural Resources Fund – both instruments which have potential to bolster benefits to the Guyanese people.
