…Harmon writes Speaker, threatens to internationalize issue
Opposition Leader, Joseph Harmon has written a letter of complaint to the Speaker of the National Assembly after several MPs were allegedly barred from attending Thursday’s sitting and some were even locked in the compound.
President Irfaan Ali addressed the Parliament for the first time since becoming President on Thursday. Harmon in his missive called the speaker’s attention to other instances of his party being restrained from bringing motions to the house and other issues. Harmon said he will internationalise the issue.
Below is the full letter by Harmon to the Speaker
Hon. Mansoor Nadir,
Speaker
National Assembly
Cooperative Republic of Guyana
Parliament Buildings,
Stabroek
Georgetown
Mr. Speaker,
Re: Treatment of Opposition Members of Parliament
I write with respect to the above matter under reference.
I write to register and condemn the treatment of the Members of Parliament of the APNU+AFC at the Eighteenth Sitting of the National Assembly, on February 11, 2021.
I along with about 15 Members of Parliament were prohibited from entering the grounds of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre by Officers of the Guyana Police Force. We understand that they were acting upon your instructions. Other Members of Parliament were threatened and assaulted by the officers of the Guyana Police Force.
At least 10 Members of Parliament were locked in the compound of the Convention Centre against their will and prohibited from leaving the compound by Officers of the Guyana Police Force.
It is disappointing that since your assumption of the office of Speaker acceptable dissent continues to be suppressed.
The events which unfolded today constitute a new low in the annals of our Parliamentary History whereby elected Members of the National Assembly were assaulted on Parliament grounds and their freedom of movement restricted.
Mr. Speaker it is fair to conclude that under your tenure as Speaker that the Constitutionally guaranteed rights and privileges of Members of the National Assembly will not be respected.
I shall be bringing this despicable action and your role in it to the attention of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Parlamericas, Amnesty International, the United Nations, CARICOM and Guyana’s international partners along with other international parliamentary bodies.
I look forward to your immediate, unequivocal apology, in the National Assembly to myself and every Opposition Member of Parliament who was affected and a revocation of your instructions to the police.
Sincerely
Joseph Harmon MSM, MP
Leader of the Opposition
Cooperative Republic of Guyana
