GUYANA – Parliament suspended after Opposition legislator refuses to follow Speaker’s Order

Guyana and opposition legislators Monday differed on the position adopted by the Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Barton Scotland, to suspend the sitting until his orders are followed after an opposition legislator refused to leave the Chamber.

Bishop Juan Edghill, a member of the main opposition people’s Progressive Party (PPP) refused to leave the Chamber even after the Speaker had ordered the Sergeant at Arms to eject him from the session.

“I will not be leaving”, Edghill shouted forcing Scotland to suspend the sitting until his orders are followed, and as police officers moved to have the opposition ejected from the building, fellow legislators formed a human circle around their colleague making it clear that they were not going to allow him to be forced to leave the Chamber.

The Speaker had earlier indicated that he was sticking to the agreed timeframe for the examination of the budget for the Ministry of the Presidency.

Legislators had been told that two hours had set aside for the exercise but when the time elapsed Edghill rose to his feet and demanded that more time be provided for the scrutiny of the Ministry of the Presidency’s estimates.

The Speaker reminded the National Assembly of the earlier agreement but Edghill kept demanding that he be allowed more time even as he was repeatedly asked to take his seat.

With the opposition legislator refusing to leave the parliamentary Chambers, the lights, air condition and the wifi services were turned off.

Minister of State Harmon Joseph later told reporters that all legislators had to abide by the ruling of the Speaker regardless of their personal position on any issue.