HGP Nightly News – A public dispute has emerged within the parliamentary Opposition over who holds the authority to name members to parliamentary committees, following comments by Opposition MP Ganesh Mahipaul and a sharp rebuttal from WIN Leader Azruddin Mohamed.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mahipaul rejected claims that Mohamed could unilaterally appoint Opposition members to parliamentary committees, arguing that such assertions misrepresent the Standing Orders of the National Assembly.
Mahipaul said committee membership is determined strictly by proportional representation based on the number of seats each party holds in Parliament, not by the discretion of any individual Opposition leader.
He outlined that under the formula, a ten-member committee would include six PPP/C members, two WIN members and two APNU members; a nine-member committee would comprise five PPP/C members, two WIN members and two APNU members; while a seven-member committee would include four PPP/C members, two WIN members and one APNU member.
“The formula is straightforward,” Mahipaul said, noting that party representation is calculated by dividing the number of seats held by each party by the total number of seats in the National Assembly and applying that percentage to committee sizes. He stressed that no Opposition leader can name committee members outside of that framework.
Mohamed responded swiftly, dismissing Mahipaul’s interpretation as unnecessary and misleading. In his statement, Mohamed said his comments had been mischaracterised and clarified that he was referring only to appointing WIN representatives to committees, in line with proportionality rules.
“As leader of WIN, the largest opposition party, it is my responsibility to appoint WIN representatives by proportionality, as outlined by the Clerk of the National Assembly,” Mohamed said. “At no point did I suggest that I would appoint members from other opposition parties.”
He described Mahipaul’s statement as an attempt to manufacture controversy, adding that it should be self-evident that he has no authority to appoint APNU members.
Mohamed also criticised the state-owned Guyana Chronicle, accusing it of amplifying what he called a deliberately misinterpreted narrative to create political friction.
“This is a non-issue being dressed up as a headline,” Mohamed said, adding that he remains focused on respecting parliamentary procedure and representing the interests of the Guyanese people.
The exchange comes as Parliament prepares to resume full operations, with Opposition leadership and committee structures now moving into focus after months of delay.
