“Every project undergone by this administration is top-secret and that shows contempt against the people.”By Abena RockcliffeAPNU Member of Parliament,Wholesale NFL Jerseys China, Jaipaul SharmaAfter a year and a few months as a Member of Parliament, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU)’s Jaipaul Sharma, still believes that one discerning voice can make a difference.With a financial background, Sharma also sits as a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) – a parliamentary committee mandated to scrutinise the Auditor General’s report.Before becoming a parliamentarian, Sharma served the public while being employed at the Auditor General’s Office, Public Service Ministry, Labour Ministry, Region six, Regional Democratic Council and the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).In an exclusive interview with Kaieteur News, Sharma said that he has found his recently begun journey along the parliamentary road to be an interesting one.“It is interesting to see how petty politicians can be; their lack of vision and more so lack of understanding of the constitution is almost too hard to believe.”While admitting that he is not yet a seasoned politician, Sharma said that he feels a great sense of pride by being an assigned member of the PAC with the “top guns” of the government.The PAC comprises eight members – the opposition has four representing members and the same for the government – and a chairman.Sharma emphasised his point that the opposition was confident enough to send its “backbenchers” while the government “sent its party hierarchy… look at it, the only extremely experienced Parliamentarian on the opposition’s side is Volda Lawrence,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, while the PPP sent all its presidential advisors and past ministers.”He said that nevertheless, he feels “at home” being a member of the PAC, simply because it is his field.The former GECOM employee said that it is his earnest view that the committee is doing a good job, however, he recommended more vibrancy and for the PAC to move away from the old way of asking questions.“I appeared before the PAC before and I know that the simplest thing to answer is those yes or no questions,Wholesale NFL Jerseys China, you don’t get down to the bottom of things that way. And another thing is that the members on the government’s side need to stop answering questions posed to the persons before the committee. They need to be natural.”Sharma disclosed that his responsibility as a sitting Member of Parliament lies with Region Four, but he chooses not to limit himself outside the realm of parliament. The opposition member said that persons would approach him with numerous queries “and it is fulfilling to know that you can help.”He cited as an example that there were lots of instances subsequent to the budget cuts last year that “persons come up to me and ask what we (the opposition) are really doing, because we cut the money that would have gone towards roads. And I had to explain to them… show them what we really did cut and tell them the reasons why.”Sharma stressed that it is still vested in him to make a difference.Asked about the fact that he is not otherwise employed, Sharma said that he chose this course so as not to compromise his position as a Member of Parliament.“I don’t ask favours and don’t like people asking me favours.”Waste of taxpayers’ money or democracy?The last three parliamentary sittings each saw a walkout being staged. The first was staged by the government, then the opposition, and at the last sitting,NFL Jerseys Authentic, the Speaker.During the interview with Sharma, reference was made to the fact that it costs the country almost two million dollars to facilitate each sitting and despite knowing this,NFL Jerseys From China, politicians seem to insist on staging walkouts.Sharma was asked if he sees the walkouts and abrupt adjournments as a waste of taxpayers’ money, but responded in the negative.“The public and the media must have its own view on that; but, the truth is those are the prices you pay for democracy…and parliamentary democracy must live.”The parliamentarian dubbed the money received by him and colleagues, on a monthly basis, a stipend. According to Sharma, members of parliament are supposed to receive a salary but “if it was a salary we should have been receiving vacation allowances… they only say it is a salary.”Sharma opined that allowances need to be urgently addressedHe advocated for parliamentarians to be paid enough so that they don’t have to be “gainfully” employed at any other entity “otherwise employment leaves more room for the member to be compromised. “But more importantly, in his eyes, Sharma thinks that the opposition’s s