Janet Scatters flour In House

THE opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Monday afternoon dramatised the food shortage situation by donning protest placards in the National Assembly and then walking out of Parliament.

Party front-bencher, Mrs. Janet Jagan, also sent parliamentary staff and others near to her ducking for cover when she scattered fistfuls of flour after Speaker Mr. Sase Narain disallowed debate on the flour situation as a matter of national urgency.

Parliament had just convened for a brief session for government to lay the Police Complaints Authority Bill 1989 when Mrs. Jagan and six other PPP members quietly slipped the placards around their necks at opening prayers.

The placards proclaimed: “All Guyana suffering. PNC get out!”

DISRUPTION

When Jagan rose to ask for a debate, Narain said he would not listen as she was not properly attired, whereupon the PPP member put aside her placard.

She then read out a letter to Narain which argued that government’s announced impending disruption of flour supplies warranted suspension of the Standing Orders to permit debate as a matter of urgent public importance. She said she also had proposals to ease the suffering.

Narain said he did not know when the announcement was made and when Jagan offered to let him know, the Speaker maintained he would not entertain her request.

And in protest, Jagan scattered her flour before the seven PPP members present walked out of the proceedings. Other opposition parliamentarians did not join the walk out.

Government then used the rest of the session to suspend the Standing Orders to allow a sitting on Saturday, March 4 and an address to the Assembly by President Jose Sarney of Brazil who is scheduled to be here on a State Visit that day.