THE Head of State, Donald Ramotar, came out swinging yesterday as he took on the threat by the Alliance for Change’s (AFC) Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo, to pass a no-confidence motion against the Government.

Nagamootoo, in an article in Wednesday’s edition of the Stabroek News, under the headline ‘AFC considering no-confidence motion against Gov’t’, said such a move is seriously being contemplated by his party. However, he acknowledged that a no-confidence motion would have to be supported by the main Opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).

“We do not take threats. If the Opposition wants to pass a no-confidence bill, let them pass it and we will be ready to deal with the consequences of that,” the President said, during an address he made at the Private Sector Commission’s (PSC) 22nd Annual General Meeting, held at the Pegasus Hotel.

READY FOR ELECTIONS
Mr. Ramotar also indicated that his Government is ready to call general elections if such a motion is passed.

“When I say I am going to do it, I am going to do it,” he said.

This is not the first time the President has hinted at the possibility of an early return to the polls, as a means to address the political gridlock that has gripped the nation since the 2011 general elections, which gave the ruling party, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) the Government, but also resulted in a majority in the National Assembly for the combined Opposition, the AFC and APNU.

The Head of State, earlier this month at a press conference held at State House, made it clear that his administration is not opposed to calling neither the general elections nor the local government elections, adding that issuing the commencement order for these processes could be based on the impacts of the ruling by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The General-Secretary of the ruling party, Clement Rohee, also made similar hints at a party press conference minutes after the final vote to pass the 2014 Budget, minus $37.4B in allocations in April.

Rohee said, “I am optimistic that the President, Cabinet and ministerial colleagues will find a way out and this way out will depend on the people’s will to overcome these difficulties.

“We have ultimately great confidence in the will of the Guyanese people, as they have demonstrated in the past to find their way out of difficulties.This wound (the budget cuts) will heal and the people of this country will help us heal this wound.”

DISMISSED
Additionally, the President dismissed the grounds cited by Nagamootoo, a former long-standing supporter of the PPP/C, for a no-confidence motion to be passed.

According to the AFC Vice Chairman, the Government has displayed a lack of regard for accountability, among other issues, referencing the recent tabling of a $4.6B financial paper by Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, detailing expenditures from the Contingency Fund – expenditures that effectively restored portions of the $37.4B cut from the 2014 Budget.
The Head of State said, “Everything that this Government does, we are doing it within the law. We are breaking no laws.”

On Wednesday afternoon, the Ministry of Finance issued a missive detailing the purpose, use and management of the Contingencies Fund, a subject that, according to the Ministry, has been misreported on in sections of the media.

The Ministry’s statement said, “The Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA) of 2003, outlines the legally binding requirements governing the use of the Contingencies Fund.Part VI, Section 41, subsections (1) through (7), of the FMAA 2003 addresses the issue with explicit clarity.”

The following excerpts of the legislation explain the control and management of the Contingencies Fund and under which circumstances the Fund can be used. It states that:
* (2) The Minister shall have sole authority for the release of moneys from the Contingencies Fund, which authority shall not be delegated.
* (3) The Minister, when satisfied that an urgent, unavoidable and unforeseen need for expenditure has arisen – (a) for which no moneys have been appropriated or for which the sum appropriated is insufficient; (b) for which moneys cannot be reallocated as provided for under this Act; or (c) which cannot be deferred without injury to the public interest, may approve a Contingencies Fund advance as an expenditure out of the Consolidated Fund by the issuance of a drawing right.
* Further, (4) The Minister shall report at the next sitting of the National Assembly on all advances made out of the Contingencies Fund….which report shall specify (a) the amounts advanced; (b) to whom the amounts were paid; and (c ) the purpose of the advances.

The Head of State was vehement in defense of his Government’s efforts to safeguard the interests and welfare of the Guyanese people and, by extension, the nation.

“Despite the obstacles, we have been working and will continue to work to defend the interest of our country,” he stressed.

Section 106 (6) of the Constitution states that: “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.”

However, the following paragraph, Section 106 (7) makes clear that: “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, and shall resign after a new Presidents takes the oath of office following the election.”

Written By Vanessa Narine