APNU, AFC in heated battle for Parliament Speaker:
Guyana Chronicle
Written by Edward Layne
Wednesday, 04 January 2012 02:02
THE two main opposition parties are in a heated battle to have their nominee(s) elected as Speaker of the National Assembly when the Tenth Parliament is convened later this month.The two groups, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), and the Alliance for Change (AFC) are in a deadlock as either side seems bent on having the Speaker come from within their parties.
Deborah Backer:
The APNU nominated PNCR's Deborah Backer and Bishwaishwar ‘Cammie’ Ramsaroop while the AFC proposed Moses Nagamootoo. However, for any of those candidates to be elected to the highest seat in Parliament, the two parties must come to a consensus, to which they cannot agree as both sides are defending theirs as the best choice.
Bishwaishwar ‘Cammie’ Ramsaroop
APNU maintains that Backer is the best and should be supported for the position by the AFC.
Only recently, APNU Presidential Candidate David Granger made it clear that his grouping will not change its position that Backer or Ramsaroop should be Speaker of the House and, as such, the AFC should support this decision.
Granger's justification of his insistence is that Nagamootoo is not the best suited for the post.
However the AFC said it will continue backing Nagamotoo, prompting APNU to propose other names than his.
“We did decide to look at more names...we have decided to look at a wider range of names because of the need to satisfy those 175,000 persons who voted for the APNU and AFC,” Granger told reporters.
According to a source close to APNU, its top brass is not comfortable with Nagamootoo being Speaker, because he is a former member of the ruling People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
Ralph Ramkarran
Moses Nagamootoo
“Our executives are not comfortable with Moses (Nagamootoo) being elected Speaker, because, remember, he was part of the PPP for so many years. The concern with him is that he may very well be in favour of that party rather than APNU, then we will not get a genuine speaker who is from the Opposition. The second issue for us is that we are the largest opposition party and we cannot allow a speaker to come from the AFC,” the source said.
Ramjattan is maintaining his argument that Nagamootoo has adequate legal knowledge, been a member of the House long enough to understand the needs of Parliament and its functions in the country.
“My argument is that he has the experience and every other thing. Granger is now contending that, because Nagamootoo is a longstanding PPP member, when abuses by the PPP/C Administration were being committed, that is one of the reasons,” Ramjattan had said.
The AFC, according to sources, is concerned that APNU wants to dominate the key positions in the House by holding Leader of the Opposition, Speaker and Opposition Chief Whip.
The PPP/C has proposed Senior Counsel and Speaker during the Ninth Parliament, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran to retain the post.
The PPP/C has 32 seats, APNU 26 seats and the AFC seven in the House.
Guyana Chronicle
Written by Edward Layne
Wednesday, 04 January 2012 02:02
THE two main opposition parties are in a heated battle to have their nominee(s) elected as Speaker of the National Assembly when the Tenth Parliament is convened later this month.The two groups, the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), and the Alliance for Change (AFC) are in a deadlock as either side seems bent on having the Speaker come from within their parties.
Deborah Backer:
The APNU nominated PNCR's Deborah Backer and Bishwaishwar ‘Cammie’ Ramsaroop while the AFC proposed Moses Nagamootoo. However, for any of those candidates to be elected to the highest seat in Parliament, the two parties must come to a consensus, to which they cannot agree as both sides are defending theirs as the best choice.
Bishwaishwar ‘Cammie’ Ramsaroop
APNU maintains that Backer is the best and should be supported for the position by the AFC.
Only recently, APNU Presidential Candidate David Granger made it clear that his grouping will not change its position that Backer or Ramsaroop should be Speaker of the House and, as such, the AFC should support this decision.
Granger's justification of his insistence is that Nagamootoo is not the best suited for the post.
However the AFC said it will continue backing Nagamotoo, prompting APNU to propose other names than his.
“We did decide to look at more names...we have decided to look at a wider range of names because of the need to satisfy those 175,000 persons who voted for the APNU and AFC,” Granger told reporters.
According to a source close to APNU, its top brass is not comfortable with Nagamootoo being Speaker, because he is a former member of the ruling People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
Ralph Ramkarran
Moses Nagamootoo
“Our executives are not comfortable with Moses (Nagamootoo) being elected Speaker, because, remember, he was part of the PPP for so many years. The concern with him is that he may very well be in favour of that party rather than APNU, then we will not get a genuine speaker who is from the Opposition. The second issue for us is that we are the largest opposition party and we cannot allow a speaker to come from the AFC,” the source said.
Ramjattan is maintaining his argument that Nagamootoo has adequate legal knowledge, been a member of the House long enough to understand the needs of Parliament and its functions in the country.
“My argument is that he has the experience and every other thing. Granger is now contending that, because Nagamootoo is a longstanding PPP member, when abuses by the PPP/C Administration were being committed, that is one of the reasons,” Ramjattan had said.
The AFC, according to sources, is concerned that APNU wants to dominate the key positions in the House by holding Leader of the Opposition, Speaker and Opposition Chief Whip.
The PPP/C has proposed Senior Counsel and Speaker during the Ninth Parliament, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran to retain the post.
The PPP/C has 32 seats, APNU 26 seats and the AFC seven in the House.
