Dear Editor,
The 13th Parliament of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, under the stewardship of Speaker Manzoor Nadir, has already distinguished itself, not for legislative excellence, but for presiding over what can only be described as the nadir of parliamentary standards. Disturbingly, as this Parliament commences its work in earnest, it appears the Speaker is determined to take the August House even further below that low watermark.
While listening to the presentation of Budget 2026, one could not help but question whether the Speaker remained a functional presence at all, or whether he had, in effect, vanished, leaving behind nothing more than a life-sized effigy within the dome of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
What the nation and the wider world witnessed was a budget presentation marred by an alarming level of crassness and indiscipline, wholly unbecoming of parliamentary decorum. The presenter, Mr. Ashni Singh, was permitted to stray into distasteful and disrespectful commentary, uninterrupted and unchecked. Worse still, his calculated pauses appeared to serve as cues for his chior of sopranos, altos, and tenors alike, who gleefully drowned the chamber in jeers and derision, openly disregarding the authority of the Chair.
At no point did the Speaker assert control, caution members, or defend the dignity of the Assembly. The absence of firm, impartial leadership was both glaring and consequential.
As the nation now braces for the budget debates, one can only imagine the depths to which discourse may yet sink. Recent history suggests that while government members will continue to enjoy unchecked latitude, opposition members can expect swift rebuke, public scolding, and the selective wielding of authority masquerading as order.
Suffice it to say, the 13th Parliament is poised for a turbulent journey, one in which the erosion of parliamentary norms risks becoming the rule rather than the exception.
Yours truly,
Clayon Halley
