Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, after four days, has finally responded to the verbal attack meted out against him by government parliamentarian, Raphael Trotman during last week’s sitting of the National Assembly.
In a video recording that has since gone viral on social media, Trotman lividly upbraided Jagdeo on a number of matters during the heated debate on the Petroleum Commission Bill.
Trotman declared that the former President was the “doctor of doom” and insisted that he will be lectured by anyone but Jagdeo on good governance.
During a press conference at Freedom House today (June 19, 2017), Jagdeo expressed that the Natural Resources Minister’s “descended into hostility” because he was incapable of responding to the technical arguments raised by the PPP parliamentarians on the Petroleum Commission Bill and overall policy for the emerging oil and gas sector.
“I’ve never seen somebody’s face contorted with rage as displayed in parliament. He was shaking uncontrollable and largely because he felt incompetent and exposed so he went after me in an ad hominem attack.”
Jagdeo continued, “I thought that this revealed the true nature of TRotman. Trotman has been trying to carefully cultivate an image of efficiency, reasonableness and that he is sophisticated, suave, you know, like he is above the fray. But I believe that he is slick, inefficient and one of the most hostile people in the APNU/AFC coalition.”
Jagdeo also noted with concern what he considered was blatant biasness from the Speaker of the House, Dr Barton Scotland when Trotman exploded.
According to Jagdeo, the House Speaker did nothing to prevent or reprimand Trotman for his use of language during the sitting.
The PPP is concerned that the Petroleum Commission Bill grants an overwhelming amount of power to the Natural Resources Minister including the authority to appoint a Chairman, Deputy Chairman and a Secretary to the Board.
Also of concern to Jagdeo is the view that government is only focusing on the prospects without weighing in the possible downfalls of the oil sector especially in light of international influences.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader also used the opportunity during his press conference to register his concerns with what he believes is a total disrespect to the parliament by several government Members of Parliament (MPs).
“One MP is constantly drunk in parliament, a few sleep all the time, another set try to curtail debates in the parliament and now we have Simona Broomes, the new star of Guyana and then you have the Trotman issue,” Jagdeo said.
