Amid growing concerns regarding a lack of oversight in the National Assembly, Chief Whip of the Opposition, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, has formally requested Speaker Manzoor Nadir to provide a timeline for the establishment of Standing Committees, as mandated by Standing Order 80.
In a letter sent earlier this week, Sarabo-Halley sought an update on the committees’ establishment, which include key bodies such as the Committee of Selection, the Public Accounts Committee, the Parliamentary Committee for Constitutional Reform, and various Sectoral Committees, among others.
Despite the Parliament convening on November 3 and subsequent sessions held for the presentation and consideration of the National Budget, only two committees—the Committee of Selection and the Business Sub-Committee—have been formed.
“Given the central oversight, accountability, and governance functions performed by these committees, particularly in relation to budget scrutiny, constitutional reform, and security sector oversight, I would appreciate an anticipated timeline for the establishment of the Standing Committees,” Sarabo-Halley urged in her correspondence with the Speaker. She also inquired about any procedural or administrative issues that might be hindering their assembly.
Highlighting the significance of timely establishment, Sarabo-Halley stated, “The effective functioning of the Assembly hinges on these committees, ensuring that parliamentary oversight mechanisms operate as intended under the Standing Orders.”
Further reinforcing these concerns, APNU Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul voiced his dissatisfaction during a discussion, characterizing the lack of committee appointments as an assault on parliamentary democracy. He asserted that without these committees, oversight is severely compromised.
“Without these committees, there is no financial oversight, as the Public Accounts Committee cannot function; there is no sectoral scrutiny, as the Sectoral Committees remain dormant; and there is no internal accountability, as Select Committees are not constituted,” Mahipaul explained. He described the situation as a collapse of the institutional safeguards essential to democracy, lamenting the erosion of transparency, accountability, and good governance.
Mahipaul stressed the urgency for the Speaker to convene the Committee of Selection, emphasizing that for an independent nation, progress must be the goal, not regression. “The continued failure to establish these committees is a direct affront to the people of Guyana,” he concluded.
