APNU+AFC Members of Parliament staged a walkout on the third day of Parliament, January 25. In a statement released on their social media page, it was revealed that this was in response to an increase in “incivility, insults, and attacks directed at us, notably in the National Assembly and via social media.”
It was explained that these attacks encourage a culture of violence against women and reflects the popular resistance to women being able to fully and equally participate in the realm of politics.
Further, it was highlighted that Guyanese women have, since 1976, retained the right to make contributions to family, community and country through the passing of the State Paper on Equality for Women.
In the post, they called on the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, to bring an end to these actions and the subsequent disrespect to the Parliamentarians of the Parliament of Guyana.
The following day, a statement was issued by the women parliamentarians of the PPP/C, rejecting the claims by the APNU+AFC members. It was stated that the “walkout” was in an attempt to “distract from the goodness laid out in the budget for Guyanese.”
The statement, which was issued on the social media page of the ruling party, revealed that Opposition members are the ones meting out racist, sexist and homophobic remarks to the women of the PPP/C, sometimes even doing so in official statements.
The PPP/C women members of parliament condemn all attacks on and about women and men from any side of the house.
We are resolute that we will always support and facilitate the growth of women, children, the elderly, and Guyanese as a whole as is evidenced in the budgetary provisions made.”