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Nagamootoo’s comments are unfortunate

Jun 29, 2012 Letters

Dear Editor,
It is most unfortunate to have read the comments in your newspaper attributed to AFC Member of Parliament Moses Nagamootoo who is inferring that it is the government that is seeking to create an atmosphere of instability in Guyana.
In an article appearing in your newspaper of, June 28, 2012 Nagamootoo is quoted as saying that, “…the (Government)…is imagining a constitutional crisis that may result in the dissolution of parliament or may result in extra-parliamentary activities”, in his efforts to criticize a recent decision by the Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee regarding the deferment of a portion of the annual leave of senior officers within the Force.
Mr. Nagamootoo should be reminded that it is no other than his counterpart in the Alliance For Change and Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphel Trotman, who earlier this month warned of a constitutional crisis in a statement to the media.
Trotman was quoted as saying that “the continued resort to the High Court to question legitimate decisions of the National Assembly, points to the grave and gathering danger of a constitutional crisis, which has the potential to assume proportions, the like of which, the nation has never seen, and may be unable to handle.”
Interestingly Trotman’s comments came even though in the previous month APNU used its one seat combined majority with the AFC in the National Assembly to pass a flawed motion where it sought to amend the constitution where even the Speaker himself had to admit as quoted in the media that only an Act of Parliament could amend the constitution and not a motion.
With this glaring example in mind and taking into consideration all the previous transgressions by the combined opposition since the life of the current Assembly commenced it is easy to see why the PPP/C would resort to the Judicial arm of Government, which is the guardian of our constitution.
Having said this it is also important to point out that Trotman and his colleagues in the opposition had absolutely no qualms in resorting to the Judiciary during the previous Assembly to challenge decisions during that period.
It is quite unfortunate that he has taken an about turn now and sees this as creating a constitutional crisis even though provisions are made for such legal recourse in our constitution.
Then only a few days ago, no other than Nagamootoo’s political sidekick, Khemraj Ramjattan, was also on record as stating that the possibility of the President not assenting to Bills put forward by the opposition could create a constitutional crisis. Attorney General Anil Nandlall had to step in to expose the fallacious nature of the arguments put forward by Ramjattan.
Once again, it was pointed out to the AFC that what they are claiming would lead to a constitutional crisis was in fact provided for in the constitution.
As such, if Nagamootoo is looking for a scapegoat to pin his allegations on, he needs not look much further than within his very own political party as records would indicate that it is the AFC which has been warning of an impending grave danger of a constitutional crisis and when the Minister of Home Affairs moves to make provisions should this become reality he is in turn criticized by the very AFC for spreading panic.
This is yet another glaring example of the unfortunate reality of our ‘new dispensation’ in Guyana.
Romel Roopnarine

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