Gov’t will bring privileges motion against Ramjattan – Teixeira

PRESIDENTIAL Adviser on Governance and Government Chief Whip in the National Assembly, Ms. Gail Teixeira, yesterday disclosed that the Government will bring a privileges motion against the Alliance For Change (AFC) leader, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, in the National Assembly.

The move relates to controversial statements made by Ramjattan in September.
The AFC Leader, at a press conference in mid-September, stated that his party had been “reliably informed” that the PPP/C Government, against whom the No-Confidence Motion has been filed, has plans to “buy out” at least three parliamentarians at $30M each to vote against the motion when it comes up for debate next month.

Raphael Trotman

The main Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has denied that this allegation concerns any of their MPs and the AFC holds the same position – a fact that has led to questions about the veracity of Ramjattan’s allegation.
Following the AFC Leader’s assertions, Teixeira called on the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Raphael Trotman, to request that Ramjattan produce evidence to support his allegation, retract his statement, or face the Parliamentary Privileges Committee.
However, the last word from the House Speaker was that he is awaiting the advice of the Clerk, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs. “I was reminded by Ms. Teixeira of her request last evening (Wednesday evening) and I have forwarded the matter to the Clerk for his advice,” Trotman said, in a prior interview, last Thursday.
INDICATION GIVEN
Teixeira had expressed the Government’s intent to move to the Privileges committee in a letter, dated September 19, to the Speaker, on the ground that Ramjattan’s statements had besmirched and denigrated the image and integrity of all MPs and the entire National Assembly.
Teixeira said: “I am therefore calling on you, sir, as Speaker, to call on MP (Member of Parliament), Mr. Ramjattan, to publicly retract his statement or provide proof of which Members of Parliament were offered bribes and by whom.”

Gail Teixeira

“…these pronouncements by Mr. Ramjattan should not be treated solely in the realm of “political turf wars” of political parties, which the Government and the PPP are capable of handling, but more importantly, these accusations bring all Members of Parliament in Guyana into disrepute, and, in doing so, damage the image and integrity of the entire Guyanese Legislature, including you, as the Speaker.”
According to her, the Government and the PPP/C Members of Parliament are shocked and very disturbed by public pronouncements at an AFC press conference.
She said: “Mr. Ramjattan was quoted as saying that “We have gotten reliable information that the PPP’s answer to the no-confidence motion is not what is said, but at least by buying off three parliamentarians at $30M each to vote no rather than yes, and that’s the only way …and that’s the only option they have.” He even went on further to say “… but, we can never know, probably the price can jump higher.”
“The Government and the PPP immediately and separately publicly disassociated themselves from these slanderous pronouncements by M.P. Mr. Ramjattan and called on the AFC to provide the evidence of this allegation.”
She pointed out that these comments have portrayed to the world, “in this world of rapid communications”, that Guyanese MPs are “corrupt and buyable” – an image that once created in Guyana and globally can never be erased.
“It appears that in Mr. Ramjattan’s blind haste to besmirch the Government and the PPP, he broadsided the entire Legislature and all Members of Parliament. This, I have no doubt, must have disturbed you as the Speaker of the National Assembly,” Ms. Teixeira said.
Ramjattan, when asked by this newspaper for a comment, said, “Tell the Government to haul its ass,” a line that has become his signature response to controversial issues.