AFC completes draft ‘No – Confidence’ motion against Gov’t
By Fareeza Haniff
Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan has confirmed that the Party has completed a draft no – confidence motion which it intends to bring against the Donald Ramotar led administration.
During a telephone interview, Ramjattan told iNews that the Party will proceed with the motion if President Ramotar does not prevent his Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh from spending the country’s money “illegally.”
Ramjattan said that he will keep the draft document in his possession until “we are ready for the public to see it.”
He explained that the Party intends to share it with Opposition Leader, David Granger as soon as possible.
Ramjattan also delivered a letter to the Office of the President yesterday (July 17), addressed to President Ramotar expressing “deep concern over the unauthorized and unconstitutional withdrawals made from our nation’s Consolidated Fund by the Minister of Finance. It is my Party’s belief that such withdrawals as reported in Financial Paper #1 of 2014 are in clear contravention of Article 217 of the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana and Section 16 of the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act.”
Ramjattan also noted that the Party sees no other alternative than to proceed with “this constitutional mechanism [no – confidence motion] for removal of an unpopular Government that has ceased to enjoy the confidence of the National Assembly and who by its actions has demonstrated an unlawful and contemptuous disregard for the Supreme Law of the Country.”
The main opposition – A Partnership for National Unity had noted that it will most likely support the motion. Meanwhile, the Finance Minister is adamant that he spent the money which totals $4.5 billion legally.
He had said there is a process that has to be followed before money is spent and later presented to the National Assembly.
“What you see playing out here, this assault against the Finance Minister is a combination of personal vendettas being pursued on one hand and a politically driven campaign that is driven by distortion on the other.”