Ramotar ready for AFC’s ‘no-confidence’ nation

The letter which was sent to the president, on Thursday and received today when he returned from the BRICS summit in Brazil indicated that the AFC would seek to move the motion to “force the government’s resignation”. The supposed “force resignation” indicated by the AFC, in its letter, was also put to rest by the Presidential Adviser, who noted that Constitutional Articles 1065 and 1066, state that the president and Cabinet continue to serve until the results of any election, is announced and certified.

Teixeira said that whilst the letter quoted Article 166 of the Constitution, it curiously failed to mention Article 2183 and the Chief Justice’s ruling in the Budget Cut court case. Both of these clearly define the role of the Finance Minister and his Constitutional options for accessing funds, a move which the AFC has described as unconstitutional and even sought to have the Guyana Police Force investigate.

According to the Presidential Adviser, the opposition is using the Constitution incorrectly and appears to be seeking to create nervousness, instability and confusion, and show they have parliamentary power via their one seat majority. The move by the AFC in which they claim that the actions of the Finance Minister contravened the Appropriations Act by bringing Statements of Excess before the National Assembly to justify the spending of funds disallowed by the opposing side of the House, was explained on previous occasions by both the Finance and the Legal Affairs Ministers. It was also noted that the previous instances in which similar actions were taken by the Finance Minister, there were no such objections.

The fact that the AFC is seeking to use the wrong Parliamentary Act to proceed with their motion is nothing more than political bullyism, said Teixeira.

President Ramotar in his response this evening to Ramjattan’s letter said such action by the AFC will provide the opportunity for people to demand that the AFC explain why they opposed key developmental projects.

“The AFC will have to explain to the Guyanese people their denial of having cheap energy by opposing the hydro-power station at Amaila and therefore opposing the industrialisation of our country, the creation of jobs for people, particularly our young. You will have a chance to explain why you have voted against giving the Guyanese people better health care due to your opposition to the Specialty Hospital. Moreover, you will clarify for the electorate whether it was because your client lost out in the bidding process to construct the complex,” he said in response to the AFC’s letter.

The AFC’s opposition to the Marriott Hotel’s construction was also noted and the fact that the party’s chief financier who is a hotelier would be afraid of competition. The AFC’s opposing of the Anti-money laundering bill was also noted by the president.

The Head of State will not be bullied and will stand by the Constitution, Teixeira stated, in terms of any expenditure for essential activities, but will recognise the right of any political party to file such a No-Confidence motion.

The matter will be brought before the Speaker of the National Assembly, and according to Teixeira, he maybe be “hard put” to deal with such an issue objectively. The positions of Speaker and Deputy Speaker will show their true value at this point, she further noted.

Asked about the possible timeline for such a motion to be tabled, it was explained that precedent has been set by the Speaker who allowed the debate of the motion brought against Minister Clement Rohee to begin the same day it was brought. Normally there is a notice that is brought giving the other side of the National Assembly time to examine the merits of any such action but this has been disregarded in the past, she added.

With the next parliamentary date remaining unclear, Teixeira said that the House Speaker or the Opposition can call a date for a sitting since government’s efforts to have an earlier sitting were thwarted for various reasons by the opposition.

The opposition’s actions, via the “New Dispensation” which saw them opposing the passage of the internationally accepted Anti-Money laundering bill, despite the support of numerous stakeholders, locally and internationally, was also described by Teixeira, as morally and legally unacceptable and such actions should not be tolerated by the general electorate, particularly as it put the entire country at risk of being sanctioned internationally.

Mention was made of the government’s own action against the AFC’s Khemraj Ramjattan and Kathy Hughes, both of whom had or have pecuniary interests in the Specialty Hospital and the Amaila Falls, respectively.

This is against the Parliamentary regulations, it was explained, as member of the House who have such interests have to recuse themselves from matters concerning their “interests” and decline to vote, if called on to do so.

The public is tired and saturated and have the ability to see though the shenanigans of both opposition parties, she noted and opposing members, it must be understood, constantly postpone any sittings when their members are absent so as to ensure they can vote against any government proposal successfully in spite of its merits.

It was recalled that after the only incident free General Elections ever held in Guyana, in 2006, there was a huge leap in development and numerous projects came on stream. This Teixeira stated demonstrated what could happen when common sense prevails. The current 10^th parliament demonstrates otherwise.

She reiterated that President Ramotar and government are ready for any motion brought by the opposition but the opposition must be prepared to answer the electorate for their actions.