Ramjattan again shuts down calls for his resignation

Jan 15, 2018 News

Public security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan has maintained that his resignation over the July 2017 Camp Street Prison fire will not be forthcoming.
During Wednesday’s debate in the National Assembly on a motion that addressed the fire, which destroyed about 80 percent of the prison, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) opposition drummed up calls for the Minister’s resignation given the circumstances that led to the fire.
“I want to make it quite clear that the very first press conference I had, the question was directly put and about three other times and I said yes I am the one responsible. I have always said that. In the political realm, the Minister is the one responsible and I hold myself responsible. It has always been the case,’ Ramjattan stated.
He added, “That does not mean that if you are responsible it necessary means resignation.”
The Minister stated that Government intends to fulfill the promise to set up a Commission of Inquiry into the incident following the recapture of all the eight escapees. Two inmates remain at large.
“When the two more are captured, we will have an inquiry. Until such time, it will not be done,” Ramjattan noted.
The Coalition Government used its majority in the National Assembly to defeat a motion brought by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), 17 of whose numbers were on a free trip to India.
The motion called for full disclosure of the events that led to the fire and the escape of eight inmates. One prison officer died during the ordeal.

Public Security Minister, Khemraj Ramjattan

Twelve members of the opposition were in the House. The motion was submitted by Opposition Member, Juan Edghill, who was suspended for the sitting for disobeying the instructions of Speaker Dr. Barton Scotland on December 11.
In Edghill’s absence, Gail Teixeira, Opposition Chief Whip, tabled the motion at the Sitting which was mandated for ‘Opposition Business’. Teixeira stated that the Motion was submitted to the Parliament office two weeks after the fire occurred on July 7, 2017 and five months after the fire, the Motion was finally debated.
The motion wanted the National Assembly to call on the Government in accordance with Article 106(2) of the Guyana Constitution to accept collective responsibility to the House for the repeated events at the prisons of Guyana.
Accordingly, the Motion also sought to have the Government declare what actions have been and are being taken to reduce the opportunities for such situations from recurring and for the National Assembly to support the Disciplined Service in its efforts to ensure public safety, the protection of citizens and the recapture of all the escapees.