Guyana’s parliamentary democracy faces a serious threat as National Assembly Speaker Manzoor Nadir, elected by the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP), has yet to allow opposition members to elect a Leader of the Opposition. The delay leaves the 13th Parliament without a key constitutional officeholder, disrupting the legislature’s functioning and raising fears of a constitutional crisis.
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has urged the Speaker to act immediately, warning that leaving the post vacant enables “undemocratic practices” by the ruling party. Speaking at a press conference, APNU Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul said, “The position of APNU is that Leader of the Opposition is a constitutional office that needs to be filled. It cannot be left vacant. If we allow that to happen then it means we are aiding and abetting with the PPP to advance undemocratic practices and the APNU is not about that.”
Based on parliamentary seat distribution, the Leader of the Opposition would likely be drawn from the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, which holds the largest number of opposition seats. Mahipaul acknowledged WIN’s legal challenge to the process, noting, “I have noted in the public space WIN has opted to use legal recourse which of course is within their rights and we respect that.”
The delay has left Parliament’s schedule in limbo. The first sitting of the 13th Parliament on November 3 did not include the election of the Opposition Leader. Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs confirmed he has not been informed of the Speaker’s plans to convene the required meeting.
Legal action is now imminent. Speaker Nadir was served a letter on November 17 warning of court proceedings if he fails to act within fourteen days. The letter, from Attorney Siand Dhurjon on behalf of sixteen MPs, cites the Speaker’s “unlawful refusal/failure” to convene the election mandated under Article 184(1) of the Constitution, which states that the Opposition Leader “shall be elected by and from among the non-governmental members of the National Assembly at a meeting held under the chairmanship of the Speaker of the National Assembly, who shall not have the right to vote.”
Former government minister Annette Ferguson warned that the continued vacancy threatens the functioning of the executive and Parliament. The Leader of the Opposition must be consulted on key appointments, including the Police Commissioner, Chief Justice, Chancellor, and Judicial Service Commission members.
