Ramjattan: AFC Congress will be held after vote on no-confidence motion

THE Alliance for Change (AFC) Congress, which was billed for October 25, will be held “as soon as the no-confidence motion” is passed, according to the party’s leader, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan. 

Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, AFC Leader

“As soon as the no-confidence motion is approved, the AFC’s Congress will be held,” he told the Guyana Chronicle, in an invited comment.

The AFC had previously said that postponement of its Congress was due to the fact that a date had not been set for the reconvening of the National Assembly.

The House has not met since it came out of recess on October 10 and prior to going into its annual two-month recess on August 10, there had been no sitting since July 10.

However, a November sitting, according to the Clerk of the House, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs, is not unprecedented, as this has been the case in the last several years.

Since the hullaballoo over the reconvening of the House and the consequent difference of opinions of who had the authority to call a sitting, President Donald Ramotar on Saturday directed that steps be taken to convene a sitting of the National Assembly within the next 14 days.

Sherlock Isaacs

 

STANDING ORDERS
The Clerk had also confirmed that the authority to call a sitting lies with the Central Government. Since the President’s instruction, the Government has reiterated its position that the convening of a sitting of the National Assembly must be done in accordance with the Standing Orders and long cherished parliamentary practices. The Government had a number of pending legislative matters to be brought before the House prior to the annual recess. Further, there are important financial papers relating to the development of the country and growth of the economy that need to be urgently addressed.

HOT TOPIC
The hot-button issue up for consideration is the Alliance for Change (AFC) sponsored no-confidence motion against the current Administration.

The first inkling the public had that the AFC planned moving a no-confidence motion against the Government was back in mid-June, when party Vice-Chairman Mr. Moses Nagamootoo hinted at it.

He did so by way of an article published in the Stabroek News and headlined, “AFC considering no-confidence motion against Gov’t.” He, however, acknowledged that to do so would require the support of the main Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

The AFC’s position was strengthened on Tuesday, August 5, when APNU Leader Brigadier (rtd.) David Granger publicly confirmed that his party was fully behind the no-confidence motion.

The first page of the Motion reads: “Be it resolved that this National Assembly has no confidence in the Government.” It was seconded by AFC Executive Member and Member of Parliament (MP) Mrs. Cathy Hughes.

As stated in Section 106 (6) of the Constitution: “The Cabinet and President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of the majority of all Members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”

This is made even clearer in Section 106 (7), which states: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office, and shall hold an election within three months or such longer period as the National Assembly shall, by resolution supported by no less than two-thirds of all elected members of the National Assembly, (approve); and shall resign after a new President takes the oath of office following the election.”

Source - http://guyanachronicle.com/ram...o-confidence-motion/