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President’s excuse for non assent of Local Government Bill rejected by GTUC
The Guyana Trade Union Congress (GTUC) has announced that it rejects the position advanced by President Donald Ramotar for his non-assent to the Local Government (Amendment) Bill.
President of GTUC Leslie Gonsalves
President Ramotar announced during a recently held press conference that his non assent to the Local Government Amendment Bill stemmed from the then Peoples National Congress Reform (PNC/R) going back on promises made in consultation with the Peoples’ Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government. The President stated that “Before this Parliament came into existence, we had an agreement with the PNC; we had a full agreement with the opposition, the PNC then. This Parliament, they have decided to change it. Not only have they changed it, which in my view is unprincipled, but they have also made it unconstitutional. They have tried to take the authority of the minister and invest it into a commission. That goes against the Constitution, that’s why I didn’t assent to it.”
The unapproved Local Government (Amendment) Bill was part of three other bills (Fiscal Transfers Act, the Municipal and District Councils (Amendment) Act, and the Local Government Commission Act) that were passed in the National Assembly under the Local Government Elections Bills on August 7th. The three other bills were assented to by President Ramotar.
The President came under fire for not assenting to the Bill, with A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) positing that the President’s action confirms the party’s belief that Government wants to frustrate the holding of Local Government Elections, with the specific intention of retaining the draconian powers that are vested in the Minister of Local Government.
According to the GTUC “to tell the public that the decision is informed by an agreement and understanding between the PPP and PNC during the Ninth Parliament and that this is therefore binding when the Tenth Parliament sees the need for revision of aspects of the Bill, is disrespecting the intelligence of Guyanese citizens and an effort to hold the Tenth Parliament to ransom.”
GTUC said that agreements are only binding in so far as subsequent Parliaments and the people who elect their representatives continue to see them as serving their purpose in a fair and just manner. ”President Ramotar must know that Parliament at any time has the power/authority to change or amend legislation consistent with the laws that guide parliamentary operations.”
The GTUC is calling on the Speaker of the National Assembly to ensure that the President provide reasons why he withheld assent, since article 170 of the constitution makes provisions that upon withholding assent to a bill the President must issue a message stating why he has withheld assent. “GTUC calls on the Parliamentary Opposition, members of civil society and ordinary citizens to protect their rights and hold the President accountable to the Constitution as is stipulated in Article 170(3). It is so written.” The body emphasized.
GTUC having perused the Constitution, it “can find no worthy passage that supports the President’s argument for non-assent premised on retaining ministerial authority.”
The GTUC established that it has checked and verified article 71 (1), 75, 77A and 78 of the Constitution which has reinforced their position. The trade’s union body says it is willing to accept evidence by the President that negates its position which is backed by Constitutional evidence.
GTUC stated that it “does not want to conclude that the President is deliberately misleading the nation by making fallacious arguments seeking to hold the Tenth Parliament to ransom.” The trade union body in addressing its concerns to the President, highlighted that “legislation or decision-making cannot be inimical to the interest of the people and undermining of the democratic processes of this country.” GTUC further stated that ”the Local Democratic Organs as per the Constitution provides a level of protection that should not be violated.”
The GTUC wants President Donald Ramotar to provide the necessary evidence so that it and the wider society can “be guided by common understanding and the truth.” The Body is also calling on all stakeholders to demand a new body politic driven by evidence-based decision-making and public accountability. ”The corruption of deception, distortion and misrepresentation of facts must come to an end” the GTUC stated.
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