The National Assembly was in an uproar this afternoon, after People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, called for Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman to be placed before the Privileges Committee over statements he made during the National Budget debates, regarding the PPP/C sharing out most of the country’s productive forest.
There was loud heckling and House Speaker, Dr. Barton Scotland had to ask that the distraction discontinues so that urgent matters engaging the House could be addressed.
Rising on a Point of Order, Trotman rejected statements by Teixeira which implied that during his presentation he distorted the figures. Trotman deemed the accusation as “highly improper” and “unclean”, noting that if the PPP/C Chief Whip has decency she would withdraw her statement.
The Natural Resources Minister said he merely quoted statements from a document that was submitted to the House. In this regard, The Speaker asked that the document be submitted for Ms. Teixeira can peruse.
The PPP/C’s request was sent to the Privileges Committee.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo also rose in defence of the Natural Resources Minister accusing the Opposition of attempting to divert from the real issues to serve a “Political purpose.”
Trotman had told the National Assembly during the budget debates that the Coalition Government was met with an alarming situation, where it was discovered that 100% of the productive forest was allocated by the PPP/C administration.
The Opposition had also written the Norwegian Government dated February 12, 2016 highlighting what the PPP/C deemed its grave concern over the attacks by the APNU+AFC.
