By Fareeza Haniff
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman has adjourned the National Assembly until Monday, as the Opposition continued to demand that Education Minister, Priya Manickchand apologize to former APNU Parliamentarian, Jaipaul Sharma.
Earlier, the Opposition erupted in a song, while banging on the parliament desks, singing “apology to Sharma” as Manickchand stood to make her contribution to the budget debate in the National Assembly on Friday evening, April 04.
The National Assembly was suspended with the hope that the two sides would work out its issues, however upon return, the protest by the Opposition continued, while the Government side stood up in solidarity with Manickchand.
Speaker Trotman then adjourned the sitting until Monday, April 07. Sharma resigned from the National Assembly following a heckling incident in the House on Tuesday, April 01.
Manickchand had heckled “ask the APNU member Sharma” while MP Volda Lawrence was addressing the issue of rape in the society during her very emotive presentation.
Manickchand was initially banned by the Speaker from debating in the House. However, her ban was subsequently removed by the Speaker himself.
I must extend congrats to the opposition MP for their unity stand in parliament, that was democracy at work, the majority has spoken, such disrespect to family member of any MP should not be allowed then, now or never. maybe the honourable speaker forgot that part of his ground rules he issued before the commencement of budget debate 2014