Ganesh Mahipaul, a Member of Parliament representing the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), is urging Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir to convene the Committee of Selection to appoint critical parliamentary committees. Mahipaul emphasized that the ongoing delays are an assault on parliamentary democracy.
In a public statement, MP Mahipaul pointed out that despite Parliament being reconstituted, the Speaker has not yet called the Committee of Selection to meet and appoint essential committees, including the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Foreign Relations.
“The Standing Orders clearly provide for critical Standing Committees such as the Public Accounts Committee, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Constitutional Reform, and the Committee on Appointments, among others,” Mahipaul stated. He stressed that these committees are vital for scrutinizing government policies and performances across all major sectors.
He elaborated on the importance of Select Committees, which include the Standing Orders Committee, the Committee of Privileges, and the Statutory Instruments Committee. Without these committees, he warned, there is a significant lack of oversight.
“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,” Mahipaul said. He further noted that the absence of internal accountability represents a collapse of the institutional safeguards that uphold democracy.
“Parliamentary oversight is not optional; it is fundamental. The continued failure to establish these committees is a slap in the face of the people of Guyana and a dangerous erosion of transparency, accountability, and good governance,” he added.
Mahipaul called upon the Speaker to prioritize convening the Committee of Selection for the benefit of the country, emphasizing the need for progress rather than regression as an independent nation. He also criticized the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and its “We Invest in Nationhood” (WIN) initiative for their silence on this pressing issue.
