– Rejects claims of deliberate delay in opposition leader election
Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir has said that careful constitutional and legal consideration guided his handling of matters leading to Monday’s selection of the Leader of the Opposition.
While opposition members of parliament will meet on Monday, January 26, at 10:00 am to elect a leader, marking the completion of the institutional framework of the 13th Parliament, the speaker said public claims that the process was deliberately delayed are false.
As the custodian of Guyana’s National Assembly, Nadir stressed that it is his responsibility to safeguard the integrity of parliamentary procedures, consistent with practices across Commonwealth democracies.
“There are so many considerations that one must put before oneself when you’re looking at this appointment…in examining all facets of the election of a fugitive offender as an Opposition Leader, that is what has caused me to consider,” he said in an interview with the National Communications Network (NCN) aired on Thursday.
Responding to questions about precedent, Speaker Nadir noted that democracies around the world have long grappled with the issue of individuals with criminal status serving in legislative bodies.
Many countries, in fact, have enacted laws that prevent convicted individuals from holding parliamentary office. Guyana’s constitution already outlines circumstances under which a member of parliament may be disqualified or removed upon conviction, but what makes the current situation distinct, he said, is the issue of fugitivity rather than conviction.
“There may be a moral position in the court of public opinion. That’s one. Similarly, in the court of public opinion, there are very strong views with respect to a fugitive occupying such an important position. And so, in the end, I had to rely on the rule of law,” the speaker underscored, adding that his actions reflect an adherence to constitutional requirements, rather than defiance.
One of the most pointed questions concerned the presumptive Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed, who has been indicted in the United States, and whether such an outcome could stain Guyana’s Parliament or interfere with the administration of justice.
In response, the speaker said, “No matter the amount of massaging, erasing, cleansing that we do, we will still have to work hard to remove that stain. And this is what will be a burden on Guyana, not on a person, on Guyana. We’ll have to work hard to remove it.”
Speaker Nadir also clarified that members of parliament enjoy immunity only for words spoken and actions taken within the formal sittings of the National Assembly. Outside of that narrow scope, they are subject to the law like any other citizen.
The speaker said he remains committed to impartiality, stating that the rules of the House, the Constitution, and the Standing Orders will be enforced without fear or favour. Whether dealing with ministers or ordinary members of parliament, he stressed that accountability will be applied equally.