The Alliance For Change prepares to welcome Madam Speaker Hon. Dr. Jennifer Geerlings-Simon of the Parliament of Suriname and her eleven member delegation to Guyana. It is an honour to have the members of the Suriname Parliament come to our country. Guyana and Suriname enjoy a cordial relationship and we are sure this visit will enhance that relationship.
Like Guyana, Suriname has a unicameral legislature and the AFC is positive that there are many lessons that can be shared. Among the matters the AFC MPs will raise when they meet with their Surinamese counterparts are; parliamentary democracy including full independence of the National Assembly and cooperation between the legislature and the executive to ensure assent to Bills passed by the House.
The Alliance For Change is deeply concerned that the government is attempting to subvert the National Assembly and reduce it to a non-effective, ‘toothless’ organism that would be used as a ‘rubber stamp’ at the government’s convenience.
The Party has demanded the appointment of a Legal Counsel to complement the work being done by the staff of the Parliament since the Chief Parliamentary Counsel who operates out of the Ministry of Legal Affairs is not readily available to the Opposition. This position was taken by the Parliamentary Management Committee.
However, the Government has blatantly refused to appoint a legal counsel for the parliament leaving the Clerk to depend of the services of the Attorney General’s Chamber. This has caused much frustration for the Tenth Parliament as Bills passed by the House are sent to the AG’s Chamber before being sent to the President for assent and this ought not to be.
The AFC believes that blocking the procurement of a draftsperson when there is a deficit is a malicious act by Government to maintain dominance in Parliament.
October 23, 2013
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