Press Releases

MILESTONES

• September 1, 2020 - The Honourable Manzoor Nadir, M.P., Elected Speaker
• Sittings - 31
• Budget – 2 were passed. (September 25, 2020, and on March 4, 2021.)
• Questions – 98 were approved by the Speaker.
• Motions – 29 were approved by the Speaker and debated in the National Assembly.
• Resolutions – 22 were passed.
• Bills – 32 were presented.
• Acts – 20 were passed.
• Meetings of Parliamentary Committees – 40 were held.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

The Parliament of Guyana is a member of three International Parliamentary Organisations:

• The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA)
• The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
• ParlAmericas

These organizations are made up of legislative bodies which have representatives who serve on Governing Boards and Committees, and who attend Assembly Meetings and other Conferences, Seminars and Workshops.

The Parliament of Guyana was appointed to:

• The Board of Directors of ParlAmericas in November, 2020. Hon. Manzoor Nadir, M.P., Speaker of the National Assembly sits on the Board.
• IPU’s Bureau of Women Parliamentarians during the 142^nd IPU Assembly held in May 2021.
• Board of Young Parliamentarians during the 142nd IPU Assembly held in May 2021.
• Hon Manzoor Nadir, M.P., elected to the Organizing Committee of the Fifth World Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers
• Co-chair of the Parliamentary Conference of the World Trade Organization in the person of Hon. Speaker Nadir.

International Virtual Parliamentary meetings where Guyana participated – 51.

COURTESY CALLS

Numerous courtesy calls were paid to the Speaker, including the

• Bibi Hafeezan Ayube – H.E. Dr. Irfaan Ali, 85-year-old grandmother
• H.E. Cui Jianchun, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana
• H.E. Dr. K.J. Srinivasa, Indian High Commissioner to Guyana
• H.E. Greg Quinn, British High Commissioner to Guyana
• H.E. Patricio Becker, Chilean Ambassador to Guyana
• Hon. Jairo Valverde Bermudez, United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative
• H.E. Patricio Becker, Chilean Ambassador to Guyana
• Mr. Paet Urmas, Head of the E.U. Delegation and other Representatives
• H.E. Jane Miller, British High Commissioner to Guyana
• H.E. Mark Berman, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana

PUBLIC RELATIONS

A menu of measures were employed to bring the institution of Parliament to the people during the year.

Speaker’s T20 Cricket Competitions

Two versions were organized – The white ball version was to be held between November and March and the Soft Ball version for the Easter (2021) weekend.

Both are on hold due to covid and international commitments of national stars

Speaker’s Children’s Christmas Outreach Programme

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Manzoor Nadir, M.P., embarked upon a Children’s Christmas Outreach Programme in 2020, which saw the distribution of toys to 7,000 children across Guyana. During the Month of December, toys were distributed in-person by the Hon. Speaker, as well as the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs, A.A.; Parliamentary Executive Officer Ms. Carletta Charles; Public Relations Officer, Mr. Yannick December; the Personal Assistant to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Ean McPherson; and other Parliamentary Staff. The Outreach Programme was to Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10.

During the Christmas Outreach Programme, Friendship Oxygen Company collaborated with Hon. Speaker Nadir and donated Fire Tablets to the Speaker’s public relations initiative to meet the needs of the children. Those tablets were distributed to children who needed same.

Speaker’s National Youth Debating Competition

The inaugural Speaker’s National Youth Debating Competition was held from June 15, 2021, to July 9, 2021, with the objective of promoting a broader awareness of the institution of Parliament amongst our young people. To this end, forty-eight (48) participants from sixteen (16) youth groups across the Education Districts of Guyana competed against each other, virtually, with the winning group emerging as the Cummings Lodge Youth Movement at the physical finals which was held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.  The Ministry of Culture Youth and Sport assisted with identifying the groups.

SIXTH (6^th) Annual Youth Parliament

The Parliament Office hosted the 6^th Annual Youth Parliament from 12^th to 18^th August, 2021, under a hybrid setting. Virtual training sessions were conducted via the Zoom platform while physical Sittings for all participants were held in the Chamber of the Public Buildings.

SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

Sittings of the National Assembly, Public Accounts Committee Meetings, the Speaker’s National Youth Debating Competition, and the 6^th Annual Youth Parliament are streamed Live on the Parliament’s Website and Social Media Pages (Facebook, YouTube).

Total persons reached:1,271,090

Total Net Followers:10,932

Speaker’s National Youth Debating Competition

Persons reached: 173,190.

6^th Annual Youth Parliament:

Persons reached: 125,366