The ongoing paralysis in Guyana’s Parliament has raised serious concerns about the health of the country’s democracy, as opposition forces and civil society accuse the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government—and PPP-elected Speaker Manzoor Nadir—of colluding to delay parliamentary sittings and block the constitutionally required election of a Leader of the Opposition. With the PPP holding 36 seats in the 65-seat National Assembly, critics argue that the governing party is using its majority to obstruct the fundamental checks and balances needed for democratic accountability.
Since the 13th Parliament was convened on November 3, the combined parliamentary opposition—which holds 29 seats, divided among We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) with 16 seats, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) with 12, and Forward Movement Guyana (FMG) with 1—along with civil society groups, has been waging a determined battle to have WIN leader Azruddin Mohamed, given the majority of seats, elected as Leader of the Opposition, as required under Section 184(1) of the Constitution of Guyana. This article states:
“The Leader of the Opposition 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.”
Yet, the failure of Speaker Nadir to convene the necessary sitting has effectively stalled the process, disabling several key oversight committees in the process.
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is pressing the government to immediately reconvene the National Assembly to restore parliamentary oversight and scrutiny of public spending. MP Ganesh Mahipaul has called for a published midterm fiscal framework, arguing that constitutional governance requires Parliament— not the executive alone—to examine state spending.
Mahipaul criticised the PPP’s repeated planning and budgeting failures and called for stronger parliamentary oversight, including timely release of project costings, sensitivity analyses, and a public register of major projects to reduce uncertainty and corruption, stressing that Parliament and its committees must function as the Constitution requires.
FMG leader and Opposition MP Amanza Walton-Desir has also condemned the paralysis of Parliament, arguing that the refusal to convene a sitting is eroding Guyana’s credibility and endangering citizens. In summarising her position, Walton-Desir stressed that the deliberate failure to meet prevents critical sectoral committees—such as those responsible for foreign relations and national security—from carrying out bipartisan oversight at a time of rising geopolitical uncertainty.
Walton-Desir questioned how Guyana could be taken seriously internationally when it “deliberately” refuses to appoint a Leader of the Opposition and noted that the absence of active committees leaves the population vulnerable. She warned that those applauding the non-convening of committees “not understanding that they’re endangering and jeopardising themselves.”
Political observers note that the deadlock is more than a partisan dispute: it strikes at the core of Guyana’s constitutional democracy. Parliament exists to scrutinise budgets, oversee procurement, review public contracts and provide a forum for bipartisan engagement.
By blocking sittings and delaying the election of a Leader of the Opposition, commentators argue, the PPP government and Speaker Manzoor Nadir are weakening institutions essential to public accountability.
The standoff continues, and pressure is mounting for the National Assembly to resume its work and for constitutional obligations—including the election of the Opposition Leader—to be fulfilled without further delay.
