IFAAD Condemns Speaker’s Decision to Bar Media from Budget Debates

The Institute for Action Against Discrimination (IFAAD) has strongly condemned a directive issued on Monday by Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Manzoor Nadir, barring members of the media from entering the Parliamentary Chamber at the start of the 2026 National Budget debate.

In a press release, IFAAD described the decision as a serious violation of democratic norms, transparency, and accountability, stressing that budget debates represent one of the most critical exercises of parliamentary democracy, determining how public funds are allocated and national priorities are set.

According to the organisation, excluding the media from the debates undermines the public’s fundamental right to be informed and weakens confidence in democratic governance. IFAAD expressed deep concern that the Speaker’s unilateral action signals what it described as a troubling shift toward excessive control over parliamentary proceedings.

The organisation emphasised that a free, independent, and present media is essential to democracy, particularly during budget deliberations that directly affect every citizen. It noted that the exclusion of journalists from the “people’s Parliament” invites legitimate concerns about opacity and the deliberate restriction of public scrutiny.

IFAAD further stated that the Speaker of the National Assembly bears a constitutional and moral obligation to act impartially, safeguard democratic institutions, and uphold the principles of openness enshrined in Guyana’s democratic tradition. Preventing media access to the budget debates, the organisation said, is inconsistent with those responsibilities and reflects practices more closely associated with authoritarian governance than with a functioning democracy.

The organisation called on Speaker Nadir to publicly explain and immediately reverse the decision, and to reaffirm his commitment to transparency, accountability, and democratic norms. It also urged constitutional bodies, civil society organisations, and the Guyanese public to remain vigilant and to speak out against any actions that threaten democratic participation and oversight.

“Democracy cannot thrive behind closed doors,” IFAAD stated. The organisation added that Parliament belongs to the people and that the media serves as the eyes and ears of the nation, warning that any attempt to silence or marginalise the media is, in effect, an attempt to silence the people of Guyana.