Government Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Government Chief Whip and Presidential Advisor on governance, Gail Teixeira has rubbished claims by Opposition Chief Whip, Amna Ally that she [Teixeira] is deliberately delaying to set a date for the sitting of the National Assembly.
Teixeira, in a statement issued to the media this evening stopped short of calling Ally a liar as she pointed out that Ally is not telling the public the entire truth.
According to Teixeira, Ally is well aware that Opposition Leader, David Granger and President Ramotar are in ‘talks’ and it was agreed that the ‘talk’ would be given a chance to “evolve” before a date for Parliament is set.
Ally, during an interview with iNews earlier in the week, had expressed her frustration with the constant back and forth between herself and Teixeira.
Ally accused Teixeira of being “very difficult” as she has rejected several dates proposed by the Opposition for the sitting of the National Assembly.
“I am fed up with this, I am done with it. She’s [Teixeira] not coming up with a date, she’s buying time or something; I don’t know what the hell it is,” the Opposition Chief Whip told iNews.
Meanwhile, Teixeira explained that she and Ally spoke on several occasions with regard to the AFC dates of October 16, 22, and 24 and agreed that the dates were not suitable.
Opposition Chief Whip, Amna Ally.
“She, then, suggested October 30th and within 24 hours called and said on checking her schedule that this date would clash with other planned events of the APNU. I agreed to her request. We, then, had a tacit understanding that it would be held in the early part of November. I reminded her and reiterated on more than one occasion that once there was an opening and the President and Leader of the Opposition were engaged in some kind of dialogue that this process should be given a chance to evolve. I told her l would await the outcome of this engagement and advised her to do the same,” Teixeira noted in her statement.
The government Chief Whip made it clear that she has to abide with the engagement between the President and the Opposition Leader.
“However, it appears that Ms. Ally as Opposition Whip is coming under undue pressure from the A.F.C. and the more belligerent elements of the A.P.N.U. and as a result is having a difficult time.
“1, as a result of her public statements, now have had cause to pause and wonder if her statements are in fact, inadvertently or advertently, exposing her party’s intention of having no meaningful engagement with the President and the Government.”
Opposition Leader, David Granger and President Donald Ramotar.
She further noted, “Nevertheless, I as the Chief Whip for the Government in the National Assembly, wish to assure the public that the delay in setting a date is only due to the overriding interest in allowing the engagement with the Leader of the Opposition to evolve. This should not in any way lead the public to believe that the government is fearful of convening a sitting nor in addressing the no confidence motion brought by the A.F.C. We are prepared to convene a sitting at any time.”
