Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
Ramotar ready for AFC’s ‘no-confidence’ nation
…says Ramjattan will have much to explain
By Gary Eleazar
Head of State, Donald Ramotar, has welcomed the move by the Alliance for Change (AFC) to move a no confidence motion against the government. According to the President, the unprecedented move will allow for the AFC to explain its actions to the people of Guyana.
Head of State,
Donald Ramotar
Ramotar, responding last evening to the AFC’s letter to him, said that the move for a no confidence motion in the administration is the AFC constitutional right. However, it is based on a pretext that is completely baseless and spurious.
According to the President, he remains resolute that the actions taken by Government, and against which the ACF has complained, are expressly authorised and permitted by both the letter and spirit of the Constitution.
He was referring to the more than $4.5B expenditure by the Administration for which the combined opposition has condemned as illegal.
The President reminded that AFC Leader, Ramjattan, “participated in this identical process in the years 2012 and 2013 by supporting Financial Papers I of 2012 and 1 of 2013.”
He was referring to the previous Statement of Excesses that had been laid in the National Assembly by the Finance Minister which the House had approved.
According to the President, “Article 218(3) is unambiguous in allowing for expenditure to be incurred in the absence, or in excess of available appropriations as approved in the extant Appropriations Act.
That Article reads thus: “In respect of any financial year it is found… that any moneys have been expended for any purpose in excess of the amount appropriated for that purpose by the Appropriation Act or for a purpose for which no amount has been appropriated by that Act… a Statement of Excess showing the amounts spent shall be laid before the National Assembly by the Minister responsible for finance…”
According to President Ramotar, “as I have said publicly before, the PPP/Civic (Peoples Progressive Party Civic) and I, are prepared to face the consequences of such a motion and the electorate.”
He said that such a motion and its consequences will give the government an opportunity to demand that the AFC explains to the Guyanese people its denial of them having cheap energy by opposing the Hydro Power Station at Amaila.
“You will have a chance to explain why you have voted against giving the Guyanese people better health care due to your opposition to a Specialty Hospital.”
Ramotar added that it will allow for the AFC to clarify for the electorate, whether it was because its client lost out in the bidding process to construct the complex.
“It will be good occasion for you to explain to the people if your opposition to the construction of a Marriott Hotel was rooted in the fact that your chief financier is also in the hotel business.”
According to the President, the moving of a no confidence motion along with the subsequent actions namely a return to the polls, will give the AFC the opportunity to explain to the Guyanese people how and why the Chairman of the party, Nigel Hughes, interfered with the judicial process causing the persons who were charged with the Lusignan massacre to walk free.
According to the President, “An opportunity will be presented for you to explain why you partnered with the APNU (A Partnership for National Unity) calling for the closing down of the sugar industry thereby jeopardizing the lives and livelihood of thousands of sugar workers and their families.”
Ramotar said that should the AFC move such a motion then it will have to explain to the Guyanese people why it decided to cut budgetary allocations to the indigenous people affecting development in their communities.
“Indeed you will explain to all the people of this country, especially the poor people why you cut monies out of the National Budget which were allocated to improve and advance their welfare and that of their children, for example, the poverty alleviation initiatives, including the student loans and uniform and transportation allowances for school children.”
He spoke too of the position taken by the AFC on the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill, “thereby exposing our country to international sanctions and our people to economic and financial hardships.”
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