Dishonest members in the House
DEAR EDITOR,
Referring to your news reports and commentaries on the conduct of MPs last Monday (KN February 23, 24), Guyanese personally spoke of unruly and abusive behavior exhibited by members of the National Assembly. It was shameful and embarrassing. Negative comments were expressed in many other forms of communication. Guyanese I have interacted with in Guyana and in the diaspora have unanimously condemned what they label as the contemptuous behavior of guilty members of the House. Their behavior was homeless from an “Honorary Member” label. It was indecent. The exchange was improper and parliamentary. The national and international communities are looking. They are put off because of what happened on Monday. The public took a strong exception to such behavior and breach of rules – totally unacceptable.
Parliament was compared to a fish market and rum shop and an X-rated and R-rated show. One person said that members had a good breakfast of “baked and salty fish”; they had five breakfast items that Burnham had banned and were excluded and decided to fall into the gutter. What results from those rabble-laden MPs! Popular letter contributor Leyland Roopnarine compares it to an episode of Jerry Springer’s show. He said he won’t look at the Jerry Springer Show today, a reference to the rude adult-type talk show on American television where anything goes. Instead, he will watch the debate in the Guyana Parliament about entertainment. Is this how MPs want to be identified?
In my studies in Comparative Politics and extensive readings of the international press, there has been misconduct in several parliaments. But the Speaker in those Chambers quickly put an end to unclean behavior. The guilty Guyanese MPs acted dishonestly, falling to the gutter pilfering dirt across the aisle. Some members of both sides were guilty. Harassment, chronicity, cross-talk, verbal insults, discourtesy, defiance, and hostility, attacks on personal lifestyle, family life, and sex preferences, and other innuendos do not belong in parliament today. Those comments slow down the smoothness and effectiveness of parliamentary action. It completely reduced the respect and standard of the House. I also noticed lack of attention, daytime looks, and member inactivity during presentations – Obviously, most did not listen to presentations. It was a disservice to members who took time to prepare notes for their presentations. There was no excuse or justification for such intolerable behavior.
The Speaker should have intervened very early to prevent the abuse. Once the Speaker had risen from his seat, as usual, members would have stopped misconduct. It should have issued a strict warning and instructed members to discuss the budget, not external matters. Had they not listened to his order, he could have ended a member’s submission (budget presentation). Those who have behaved badly should have been reprimanded, reprimanded, reprimanded. That is standard practice in legislative procedures when Members acted inappropriately. They should have called on them to apologize. Strictly speaking, according to their behavior, some MPs are unfit to sit in a house. Their contributions added to zero.
It is with great concern that there is so much polarization and heightened politeness in the Assembly, which is a reproduction of the nation. The party leaders, at least in the PPP side, appeared to be after the first day of the debate, because the behavior of the controlling side was more in line with that of an elected chamber member. It was good that the Speaker and leadership intervened to restore the lost dignity of that outhouse. It never would have happened during the days of Jagan or Burnham when they were PMs. They were sharp and witty in their comments to disarm hackers. They should have taken a page from Boysie Ramkarran who would also have used humor to silence opponents, respectfully respecting the behavior of the other side. Jagan, Boysie, Fenton Ramsahoye and a few others were pretty good in their responses to hecklers and in their Assembly presentations. They were honorable men who did not fall into a gutter as comments.
Parliament is Guyana’s highest legislative and constitutional body. MPs are encouraged to serve with diligence, humility and respect. Honorable, they must be. Members must use tasteful language and behave with ornament in parliament. The Speaker must take more decisive action in managing the conduct of MPs. It must be prepared to remove unruly members of the House, must enforce a code of conduct and discipline on both sides.
Members are reminded that serving in parliament is a privileged job and a model for the rest of society. The nation is gaining confidence in electing members to represent them but some are disappointing. Perhaps the time has come to choose a rank as potential MPs in elections so that those who are unsuitable can be weeded out of a list of potential MPs or some other forms so that misconceptions do not sit in the House.
Truly,
Vishnu Bisram Dr.