Narine Urges Opposition to Refocus on Accountability  

Former Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine, has raised concerns about the performance of Guyana’s Opposition parties, arguing that their approach is undermining their constitutional duty and enabling the Government to operate with limited scrutiny while maintaining a continuous campaign posture.

In an op-ed published in Village Voice News on April 8, 2026, Narine wrote that “in any functioning democracy, the Opposition serves a critical constitutional purpose: to scrutinise the Government, defend the public interest, and ensure that state power is exercised within legal and ethical boundaries.” He added that in Guyana, “that responsibility is being neglected,” as Opposition parties appear “preoccupied with mud-slinging, personality-driven attacks, and political theatrics.”

Following the September 2025 General and Regional Elections, the National Assembly that comprises a 65-seat Parliament, see the opposition holding a total of 29 seats. The largest opposition bloc is We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) with 16 seats, followed by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) with 12 seats, and the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) with 1 seat.

The parliamentary opposition is led by Azruddin Mohamed, who was formally elected Leader of the Opposition in January 2026 with the support of WIN members and the FGM representative.

The National Assembly last sat in late January 2026 for the presentation of the National Budget, with additional sittings held in early February 2026 to facilitate the budget debates. These sessions followed the initial convening of the 13th Parliament on November 3, 2025, after the September elections, amid concerns about limited parliamentary activity in the intervening period.

Narine stressed that the Constitution “is not a decorative document” and warned that when oversight mechanisms are weakened or constitutional bodies remain inactive, the Opposition has “both a moral and political duty to act.” He argued that this responsibility is being sidelined in favour of rhetoric that does not advance accountability.

He noted that personal attacks “may generate headlines and social media engagement, but they do not substitute for serious parliamentary work,” and cautioned that such conduct “allows the Government to evade substantive scrutiny.”

According to Narine, voters entrusted Opposition parties to “interrogate budgets, challenge unlawful executive actions, insist on compliance with constitutional provisions, and safeguard national resources,” particularly amid the country’s growing oil revenues. He said failure to meet these expectations “amounts to a betrayal of that mandate.”

The former mayor also pointed to what he described as a Government operating “in a permanent state of campaign readiness,” where public engagements are framed as political messaging. He argued that “a weak or disorganised Opposition creates the ideal environment for continuous campaigning using the machinery and visibility of the state.”

While outlining available tools such as parliamentary questions, motions, committee work, and legal challenges, Narine said what appears lacking is “focus, discipline, and seriousness of purpose.”

“It is time for Opposition parties to wake up from their political slumber,” he wrote, warning that Guyana faces “unprecedented resources and equally unprecedented risks.”

Narine concluded that “history will not judge Opposition parties by the sharpness of their insults, but by whether they stood firm in defence of constitutional governance and the public purse,” adding that “the Guyanese people are watching.”