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Support for Opposition on Recalling Parliament

Nov 16, 2014 Letters

Dear Editor,
Most Guyanese I spoke with support the call by the PNC-AFC coalition that the President should revoke “the proroguing of parliament” and recall the legislative body to act on the important issues – ChikV, ebola, telecom, budget, etc.  People prefer that the parliament not be dissolved now and that the parties address the peoples’ business at hand because they don’t think new elections would produce different results than currently obtains.  However, it is noted that the PNC-AFC tag team is sending a confusing message on recalling parliament.
The PNC-AFC team rallied on Monday and Friday for the recall of parliament and at the same time it says if the parliament is recalled, it will bring down the government as the first order of business.  So what is the point in recalling parliament – just to have the satisfaction of voting out President Ramotar?
Which leader would recall parliament to have himself voted out of office when he could simply dissolve parliament – the effect is the same? Would Granger or Ramjattan do that if they were  President
The opposition has the majority and can vote out the government at anytime. The President cannot stop that act if the opposition so chooses; he can only delay it as he has done by proroguing parliament hoping the opposition would have some time to cool off and reconsider their act. Alternatively, the President can dissolve parliament to avoid the ignominy of losing a no confidence motion.
President Ramotar has indicated he is willing to dissolve parliament and call fresh elections if that is indeed what the opposition wants. A no confidence motion is the same as dissolution of parliament as both lead to early elections.
The President has urged the opposition to reconsider their planned move and has called for dialogue on a way forward short of voting out the government.
The President has made his intention clear – discuss issues at hand or have an election. So if the opposition wants elections now, instead of calling on the President to recall parliament to vote against him, then the opposition can simply urge the President to dissolve parliament and face the electorate.
A note of caution. Ramotar is more than likely to return as President and could have a majority after an election.  In such a case, the opposition would have gambled and lost badly.
But it is also conceivably possible, though very unlikely, that the PNC could win a plurality with the minority AFC joining in a coalition government.
Vishnu Bisram

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