As King Charles III prepares to meet President Irfaan Ali during his two-day visit to Guyana, We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Member of Parliament Gobin Harbhajan is calling for Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and his parliamentary team to be included in the royal programme.
In a statement published Tuesday, Harbhajan said the itinerary released by the Department of Public Information (DPI) made no provision for a meeting between the British monarch and Mohamed, raising questions about whether the visit would provide an opportunity for engagement with Guyana’s parliamentary opposition.
King Charles is scheduled to meet President Ali during his October 29–30 visit, which comes as Guyana and the United Kingdom continue their longstanding diplomatic relationship.
Harbhajan said the absence of a meeting with the Opposition Leader should be reconsidered before the final arrangements are completed.
“However, having reviewed the itinerary released by the Department of Public Information, I note that no meeting appears to have been scheduled with the Hon Opposition Leader Mr Azruddin Mohamed and members of his parliamentary team. I sincerely hope that consideration can be given to including such a meeting in the final arrangements.”
The WIN parliamentarian argued that Mohamed’s constitutional position makes an engagement with the King significant beyond the usual courtesies associated with a state visit.
The Leader of the Opposition is a constitutionally established office-holder under Guyana’s Constitution and plays a central role in parliamentary democracy, including leading and coordinating opposition business in the National Assembly.
The office is distinct from that of an ordinary opposition parliamentarian, providing a recognised channel for the opposition’s participation in the country’s constitutional and parliamentary system.
Harbhajan said a meeting with Mohamed and his parliamentary colleagues would demonstrate recognition of that role and encourage engagement across the political divide.
“As the constitutionally recognised Leader of the Opposition, Mr Azzudin Mohamed holds an important position within Guyana’s democratic system. An opportunity for him and his parliamentary colleagues to meet His Majesty would be a meaningful gesture of inclusiveness, reflecting respect for Guyana’s democratic institutions and the value of engagement across the political divide.”
The appeal comes as attention focuses on the arrangements for the King’s visit, including his scheduled engagement with President Ali. While meetings with the head of government are a customary feature of official state visits, Harbhajan is calling for the programme to extend an opportunity for direct engagement with the opposition leadership.
The published itinerary’s omission of a meeting does not establish whether Mohamed was deliberately excluded or whether the possibility of an engagement was considered during the planning process. No explanation for the absence of such a meeting was provided in Harbhajan’s statement.
The MP also sought to make clear that his appeal was not intended to disregard the diplomatic considerations involved in organising the visit.
“I make this appeal with the utmost respect for His Majesty, the purpose of his visit and the diplomatic considerations involved in planning such an important engagement.”
Harbhajan said he hoped the final programme would accommodate the Opposition Leader and his parliamentary team, arguing that doing so would reinforce the importance of inclusive representation and democratic ties between Guyana and the United Kingdom.
“I hope that the final programme will allow for this opportunity, further demonstrating a commitment to inclusive representation and the strengthening of democratic ties between Guyana and the United Kingdom.”
With the royal visit approaching, it remains to be seen whether the final arrangements will include an engagement with Mohamed, whose office represents a formal part of Guyana’s constitutional framework, alongside the scheduled meeting with President Ali.
