Challenge of technocrat MPs

Government is confident that the High Court will rule in its favour when a decision is reached on the challenge against the presence of two technocrat members in Parliament.

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams

Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams on Wednesday said that challenged by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) over the presence of Citizenship Minister Winston Felix and Minister within the Ministry of Communities Keith Scott in the 11th Parliament will not see fruit since it has a ‘very weak’ case.

Both Government and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) are currently before Chief Justice Ian Chang in the High Court over claims by the PPP/C that the two Ministers are functioning illegally in the National Assembly.

But the Attorney General said the PPP/C does not stand a chance because of its insufficient evidence.

In the legal proceedings filed, the PPP/C is claiming that Citizenship Minister Winston Felix and Minister within the Ministry of Communities Keith Scott are illegally present in the National Assembly, since they are technocrats. The motion states, “Winston Gordon Felix and Keith Winston Harold Scott are not lawful members of and cannot sit in the National Assembly of the 11th Parliament of Guyana”.

When the case came up before the Chief Justice late last month, Justice Chang informed the court that he believed the matter of jurisdiction was interlinked with the substantive case. As such, “out of an abundance of caution”, he would proceed with the challenge and will make a final ruling on the entire matter after hearing arguments on all sides.

Speaking to journalists after the hearing, Attorney Nandlall said he was confident that the court would uphold his position on the matter and rule that the appointment of the Ministers as Technocrat Members of Parliament is unconstitutional. “This case is very important because it concerns the unlawful seating of two Members of Parliament – the highest law-making decision institution in the land – and if the highest law making institution is violating the law and is violating the Constitution, then that is a sufficiently serious matter to be heard and determine as early as possible,” he posited.

Nandlall further outlined that he was ready to proceed with the next stage of the matter, which was to relay arguments. However, he noted that the AG seemed to be unprepared and was “deliberately” delaying the case.

“I tried to persuade the Judge for an early date but Mr Williams is stalling as usual and he is not prepared to have the case heard and determined early. I am prepared to continue my case as early as Friday but he has raised objections and has asked for October 14,” the PPP/C Attorney stated.