APNU+AFC Member of Parliament Jermaine Figueira took over as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly today following an ouster of his colleague David Patterson from the Chairman’s position.

The Government used its majority two weeks ago to pass a motion of no confidence against Patterson as the PAC Chair owing to issues surrounding his time as a Government Minister and a charge that he is currently facing before the Courts in relation to the Demerara Bridge feasibility contract.

At today’s meeting of the PAC, the Opposition nominated and elected Figueira to the post.

The Region 10 Member of Parliament who is serving his second term as an MP said Patterson’s removal as PAC Chair is no victory as there was a grave miscarriage of justice when the Government used its majority to vote him out of the position. He warned that the Government has now put a dangerous precedent in motion.

“Mr. Patterson’s removal by said motion sets a very bad precedent on the architecture of the procedural aspect of matters of the House and other committees. The removal of Patterson is no victory here today.
The confidence repose on me by my fellow colleagues is appreciated and it speaks to the view of our Guyanese vernacular, that when you remove one rasta another will take his place”, the new PAC Chairman said.

MP Figueira said moving forward, the Public Accounts Committee intends to keep the government’s feet to the fire when it comes the spending of taxpayers’ money.

“We on this side of the House will, with a whirlwind of resoluteness, manage the affairs of this committee to ensure transparency and accountability of the people’s money. We will redouble our efforts to get the work done by meeting as often as possible to complete much work that was stalled because of the PPP’s doing”, he said.

The Public Accounts Committee is considered the most important committee in the National Assembly because of its sweeping powers in overlooking the government’s spending.

The work of the Committee was stalled for several months.

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