Latest update January 17th, 2025 6:30 AM

Guyana's largest selling daily and New York's most popular weekly

Latest News

DONALD RAMOTAR IS A BIG MAN

May 23, 2013 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

 

 

Donald Ramotar proved that he is a big man by offering an apology for any slight that the Leader of the Opposition might have felt because of the non-disclosure about correspondence between the government and the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force.
The President is under no obligation to supply details of his correspondence to the Leader of the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition, in turn, has no legal right to expect that he is entitled to such information.
But the President badly needs the support of APNU in order to avoid Guyana being blacklisted as not doing enough about in the areas of countering money landing and the financing of terrorist organizations. APNU seemed willing to address the issue, no doubt mindful of the fallout that can result if Guyana is blacklisted.
They know only too well that whether the laws are passed or not the government is in a no lose situation. If the laws are passed, the government wins by avoiding sanctions. If the laws are not passed because of the shenanigans of the Opposition parties, the government has a scapegoat.
That sort of reasoning seems beyond the AFC. It wanted to use the legislation as a bargaining chip but no one is going to bargain any longer with the AFC given what is stands for and the  attitude that it is displaying towards the government.
The AFC does not understand that it has no claims for automatic assent of Bills passed by an Opposition majority in the National Assembly. The Opposition should not be tabling Bills without the consent of the Cabinet because the legislative agenda of the country is supposed to be set by the Executive.
The President also has the power not to assent and this has been exercised even on Bills passed by the Executive. Many years ago, a Bill tabled by the government for a constitutional amendment was returned to the National Assembly because it would have opened a number of other laws and practices to be challenged on the grounds of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
The government may be assuming too much by thinking that the opposition wants to usurp the powers of the government. It may also be assuming too much by feeling that the opposition is trying to be obstructionist. The possibility could well be that the Opposition really does not know better and actually believes that it has a right to pass Bills without the consent of government or that the President is obligated to assent to Opposition Bills.
A short course in constitutional practices and traditions cannot be harmful to the Opposition. The British High Commission should arrange for the entire Opposition to be sent to England so that it can have a better understanding of the role of the opposition parties in relation to government.
The government by virtue of winning the most votes at the elections has a right to carry out executive functions, including setting the legislative agenda. If the Opposition continues to pass Bills without the consent of the Executive it can be deemed as attempting to run the government from the legislative benches by usurping the functions of the Executive.
It has the power and the right to frustrate the government legislative agenda. It can refuse to pass the Bills tabled by the government. That is its right but it should not be framing any Bill other than no moral issues. This position is etched in parliamentary tradition and Convention.
The Opposition has no obligation to support anything, but the withdrawal of support for any government Bill has to be for the right reasons. One of those reasons could well be that it feels it needs more information or time.
The President however has shown that he is a big man. He has shown that he is not haughty or arrogant as some many others have been. He perhaps is one of the few Presidents of Guyana who has apologized for a simple thing has someone feeling slighted by not being apprised of a correspondence between the government and an international task force.
That says a great deal about Donald Ramotar and why his value should not be discounted. Decency can take you a far way and what Donald Ramotar has shown by apologizing to the Leader of the Opposition is that he has a lot of decency.

 

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | January, 13th, 2025

 

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Windies captain Brathwaite stresses bravery, belief ahead of Pakistan Test Series

Windies captain Brathwaite stresses bravery, belief ahead of Pakistan...

Jan 17, 2025

SportsMax – With the stakes high and the odds challenging, West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite has placed an unyielding focus on self-belief and bravery as key factors for his team to deliver...
Read More
In-form Savory dazzles on second day with classy half-century

In-form Savory dazzles on second day with classy...

Jan 17, 2025

Moo Milk sponsors National U12 Chess tourneys

Moo Milk sponsors National U12 Chess tourneys

Jan 17, 2025

Determinators’ 2-1 win over Pele FC keep them alive as DeJonge needles Potaro

Determinators’ 2-1 win over Pele FC keep them...

Jan 17, 2025

Lusignan Golf Club to host Inaugural GBTI Mastercard Golf Classic this Sunday

Lusignan Golf Club to host Inaugural GBTI...

Jan 17, 2025

GFF Referee department recognizes top performances at Referee Award Ceremony, FIFA badges issued

GFF Referee department recognizes top...

Jan 17, 2025

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.

Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]