Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Aug 11, 2011 News
Access to Information, Telecoms Bills…
A key piece of legislation that will among other things, break the monopoly of the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T), will be sent to a Special Select Committee of the National Assembly as early as today, government announced yesterday.
During his weekly press briefing at the Office of the President yesterday, Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, also said that government has decided not to table the Wildlife Import/Export Bill, during the life of this Parliament.
General and Local Government Elections are constitutionally due by December this year.
Parliament has to be dissolved before elections, in keeping with the law.
The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) refused to lend support to Parliamentarians working through the current recess, arguing that the administration had enough time over the ninth Parliament to pass legislation.
According to Luncheon, the Telecommunications Amendment Bill 2011 and Public Utilities Act Amendment Bill will both have their second reading during a sitting of the National Assembly today.
The Telecommunications Bill will then be sent to the Special Select Committee.
Regarding the opposition’s objections to working through the recess, the spokesman made it clear that the two bills were critical.
“The completion of the work of the ninth Parliament is the main driver. You should know that at the Special Select Committee stage, the Access to Information Bill is considered in great detail. (There is) a demand that there is a continuation during recess so that those two most important bills of legislation would be considered…”
Luncheon then disclosed that another critical legislation that will increase monitoring of the wildlife trade and which was scheduled for this parliament life, will instead be postponed until the new parliament convenes.
Last week, the National Assembly approved a motion to work through the recess. But the PNCR refused to lend support noting that government had more than ample time during this term to complete its work.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, in tabling the motion, said that the decision was taken after deep consideration, especially taking into account that some new bills had taken a significant amount of time to prepare.
“If it is necessary and circumstances demand that the Standing Orders be suspended, one expects consultation or a reason as to why this unprecedented step is needed. The attempt by the government to bring this motion is an abuse of the process,” PNCR Leader Robert Corbin had argued.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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