Rohee feels vindicated : - ‘I will continue to represent the people who elected me to do so’ – says Minister Rohee |
Written by |
Friday, 11 January 2013 23:19 |
Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee has expressed satisfaction at having his optimism vindicated, and pledged to continue representing those who elected him to so do, following yesterday’s ruling by Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang that the gag order, demanded by the Opposition APNU and AFC, implemented against him in the National Assembly was not legal.Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall in November 2012, had moved to the High Court seeking to have Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman’s ruling prohibiting Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee from speaking in the Parliament and referring him to the Committee of Privileges declared, “unlawful, unconstitutional, ultra vires, in excess of and without jurisdiction, contrary to the rules of natural justice, arbitrary, capricious, null and void and of no effect.” The Chief Justice yesterday ruled in his favour. In an interview with the Government Information Agency, Minister Rohee said, “First of all I would like to congratulate the Attorney General for his success in the Court on the matter and to say I have always been optimistic about the outcome. I am pleased that my optimism has been vindicated. This is not an occasion for taking a trivial position, simply to say that I am pleased with the Court’s decision, but that I will continue with my Parliamentary work as best as I could. I would like to thank my colleagues and persons who wished me well during the period when this matter was in the Courts.” With respect to the fact that the Parliamentary Opposition may still pose an adverse reaction and attempt like before to drown out the minister when he rises to speak, Minister Rohee simply stated, “I have a job to do in representing the people who elected me, and I will continue to do so.” The legal document filed in Court had stated that the Speaker, who was the second named respondent of the Motion had no power whatsoever under the Standing Orders, the Laws of Guyana, or the Constitution to impose a prohibition on a member of the National Assembly from speaking or performing the functions which devolve upon that member, either as a member or as a minister thereof. In light of this, the Speaker’s ruling is without any legal or factual base and therefore the Privileges Committee has no jurisdiction to deal with or determine any issue remitted to it. The joint Opposition (APNU and AFC) had initially filed a ‘no confidence motion’ against Minister Rohee, which they used their one-seat majority to pass. They subsequently brought to the House another Motion to prevent the minister from speaking. Their intention, which was disclosed at a public meeting on August 24, 2012 at Stabroek Market Square, was to suspend the minister for a period of six months, if their ‘no confidence’ motion was not adhered to. Minister Rohee had stated previously that in so far as the APNU and AFC are concerned, the new dispensation is an opportunity to bring the Parliament of Guyana into disrepute and for them to resort to culture of the past, which is bullying their way in the National Assembly simply because they have a majority of one. “In a situation like Parliament, if you have an advantage it doesn’t mean that you should use that advantage to the detriment of national development, because the Parliament is there to advance national development…these people are leaders and leaders ought to demonstrate mature leadership, but they are behaving in a manner that will bring them into disrepute,” the minister had said.
TO WORK FOR THE GUYANESE PEOPLE. |