The VHP parliamentary group left the meeting chamber of De Nationale Assemblée (DNA, Suriname’s parliament) in protest on Friday, October 9. The reason was the decision not to give parliamentarian Kishan Ramsukul another opportunity to make his contribution during the consideration of the Invorderingswet. The opposition speaks of a serious violation of parliamentary speaking rights and accuses the coalition of undermining the rights of the parliamentary minority.
In a press statement signed by VHP parliamentary group leader Asiskumar Gajadien, the opposition expresses its serious concern and disapproval over the course of the public meetings on Thursday, October 8, and Friday, October 9.
According to the VHP, Ramsukul, who is part of the seven-member Commissie van Rapporteurs, was wrongly denied the opportunity to make his parliamentary contribution.
Discussion over speaking order
The issue arose on Thursday after two coalition members unexpectedly withdrew from speaking. As a result, Ramsukul’s turn came earlier than provided for under the previously established speaking order.
Because Ramsukul was not in the meeting chamber at that time, but was in the parliament building, the opposition parliamentary group leader requested a brief adjournment. According to the VHP, this request was in line with parliamentary practice.
However, the acting chair rejected the request and gave the floor to the next speaker. When the chair of DNA later took over the conduct of the meeting, he decided to give Ramsukul the floor after all. According to the opposition, this decision led to fierce resistance from the coalition.
This was followed by a discussion of about an hour on the procedure followed and earlier similar situations. Ultimately, the decision to allow Ramsukul to speak after all was not upheld.
When the meeting resumed on Friday, the VHP parliamentarian was, according to his parliamentary group, definitively no longer given an opportunity to make his contribution.
VHP speaks of infringement of parliamentary rights
The opposition states that the Rules of Procedure contain clear provisions on the circumstances under which a parliamentarian may be denied the floor.
According to the VHP, these include situations in which a speaker deviates from the subject, makes insulting remarks or disrupts order. The parliamentary group emphasises that none of these circumstances applied in Ramsukul’s case.
The VHP considers the course of events a serious infringement of the rights of elected representatives. The party also fears that this creates a precedent that could have adverse consequences for the functioning of parliament.
According to the opposition, political majority relations must not lead to the rights of the minority being restricted.
Call to DNA chair
In protest against the course of events, the VHP parliamentary group decided to leave the meeting chamber on Friday. The group calls on the chair of De Nationale Assemblée to apply the Rules of Procedure consistently and ensure that all parliamentarians, regardless of their political background, can exercise their rights.
The party stresses that a well-functioning parliamentary democracy is not based solely on respecting majority decisions, but also on protecting the rights of the minority.
The allegations concerning the alleged violation of speaking rights come from the statement by the VHP parliamentary group. A substantive response from the coalition to this statement has not yet been included.
