Page One Comment Beyond the pale

The grotesque defiling of Parliament yesterday by APNU MPs which included the seizing of the Speaker’s Mace must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. APNU – and in particular its main component – the PNCR were not so long ago pilloried for their conduct during the drama that followed the March 2, 2020 general elections as they hoped for vulgar rigging to get them back into office. Thankfully that enterprise was repulsed only for APNU to further undermine its public image yesterday by engaging in the most reprehensible behaviour in this hallowed chamber. All those MPs who participated in this tomfoolery must be placed before the Privileges Committee and stern action taken against them.

While of a different nature, the decision by the PPP/C to railroad through parliament its much criticised Natural Resource Fund bill is equally unacceptable. The PPP/C penchant for dominating all of the space available to it – and in this case control of the oil wealth that each and every citizen of this country is a part stakeholder of – is legend.

By passing a bill which gives it absolute oversight control, the PPP/C government has already effectively undermined the Board of Directors it intends to put in place. This board is already handicapped and will be looked at with great suspicion as if they were handmaidens of Freedom House. President Ali must take full responsibility for this failure.

Yesterday’s debacle in the House in several acts underlines how far removed the ordinary citizens of this country are from any sensible leadership in securing their interests.