By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
The long-awaited 13th sitting of the National Assembly of Guyana officially commenced on Monday, with the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and 65 Members of Parliament taking their oaths of office at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
Manzoor Nadir was re-elected Speaker of the House. He was the first to take the oath, pledging to uphold the Constitution and serve the people of Guyana with integrity and impartiality.
Following him, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo, a returning parliamentarian, was sworn in as Deputy Speaker, taking over duties to assist in presiding over parliamentary proceedings.
On the government benches, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips led the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) members in taking their oaths.
“I, Mark Anthony Phillips, do hereby solemnly declare that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the people of Guyana,” he recited during his swearing-in ceremony.
Among the 35 PPP/C members sworn in were Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and several returning and new government representatives.
On the opposition side, Dr. Terrence Campbell and his 12-member team from the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) were also administered their oaths, alongside Amanza Walton-Desir, leader of the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM).
The day’s highlight, however, was the swearing-in of Azruddin Mohamed, leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, who made a high-profile entrance at the session.
“I, Azruddin Mohamed, do hereby solemnly declare that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the people of Guyana,” he affirmed during his oath-taking.
Mohamed’s arrival in a bulletproof vehicle, accompanied by his attorney Siand Dhurjon, and his luxury Lamborghini Aventador parked nearby, drew significant public attention—marking one of the most talked-about moments of the opening sitting.
The 13th Parliament will now move forward with the election of committees, debates on legislative priorities, and the formation of opposition and government leadership teams as the new legislative term officially gets underway.
