Public Accounts Committee meeting scrapped after APNU MPs walk out on Edghill's continued presence

The business of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was suspended today after members of the APNU, Ganesh Mahipaul and Juretha Fernandes, walked out of the Committee meeting in protest of the presence of the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill. Mr. Edghill sits on the Committee as a Government representative. News Source understands that the APNU representatives walked out over the continued participation of Mr. Edghill, leaving the committee without the quorum required to conduct business. The committee had convened with a quorum present and was considering corrections and omissions to the minutes of its previous meeting when the issue arose. Minister Edghill entered the meeting shortly after proceedings commenced and an objection was immediately raised to his participation on the grounds of the ongoing public scrutiny surrounding the MV Barima tragedy, with calls for him to recuse himself from the committee and resign from office. Government members rejected the objection, maintaining that it was out of order and urged the committee to proceed with its scheduled business. Committee Chairman Vishnu Panday of the WIN party, ruled that Minister Edghill remains a substantive Government minister and a duly appointed member of the Public Accounts Committee and was therefore entitled to participate in the proceedings. Following the ruling, the APNU members indicated that they did not accept the decision and requested to be excused from the meeting, before withdrawing. The departure of the opposition members resulted in the committee no longer meeting its quorum requirements, which require the presence of the Chairman, at least two government members and at least two opposition members. As a result, the meeting could not continue and was adjourned. APNU Member of Parliament, Ganesh Mahipaul, later filed a Police Complaint against the Works Minister, claiming that he was threatened by the Minister while leaving the meeting.