In the High Court … Motion involving Parliamentary committees ‘make-up’ nearing end
Written by George Barclay
Thursday, 05 April 2012 22:11
Source - Guyana Chronicle
ACTING Chief Justice, Mr. Ian Chang, S.C., who is hearing A.G’s motion dealing with the principle of proportionality in Parliamentary committees, yesterday hinted about overruling the preliminary objections by the Parliamentary Opposition and hearing the motion on its merit on Wednesday morning next.
The hearing, which was to have continued yesterday, did not go on as was expected.
Instead, the Acting Chief Justice, the Attorney General and the Opposition lawyers all spoke about the future events to take place on Wednesday, which might include a ruling in the matter, the C.J. disclosed. They then agreed to the hearing at 10:00hrs on Wednesday.
It will be remembered that ever since the commencement of the Tenth Parliament, the government and the opposition have been diametrically opposed on a number of issues.
One issue on the Government side is the composition of the parliamentary committees, which it feels is not being done according to the principle of proportionality.
On March 7, government, through the Attorney General, moved to the High Court to challenge the manner in which those committees are being set up and piloted primarily by the Opposition.
Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, in a recent programme on the National Communication Network, explained that government’s High Court Motion challenges the manner in which the Opposition in parliament is moving in constituting the committees.
“It is contended in the motion on the part of the government that the composition of the committees violates the principle of proportionality,” the Attorney General had said.
“It is recognised expressly in the constitution and the Laws of Guyana essentially seats are allocated in the National Assembly to the parties that have contested the elections based on the principle of proportionality….the number of votes you get is proportional to the seats that you will receive,” the Attorney General had explained.
He said that the PPP/C has been allocated 32 seats, while APNU has 26 and AFC 7, which is based on an proportionate to the number of votes that they received in the last general elections.
“A mathematical calculation of the percentage of seats in the National Assembly will reveal that the PPP, with its 32 seats, controls 49.2% of the seats in parliament which is nearly 50%...as such, it is only fair , logical and constitutional that we get that percentage of representation in the committee stage…that is what the motion seeks to do,” Minister Nandlall had said.
Last Updated on Thursday, 05 April 2012 22:34