Adhere to the constitution

Dec 31, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
It is now an irrefutable fact that since this Coalition Government took office in 2015, this country is facing another chapter of PNC dictatorship and I have written extensively on this. It has become a daily pastime of this Government to show no respect to the Supreme Law of the Land, our Constitution.
Such glaring disregard is seen in the unilateral and unconstitutional appointment of retired Justice Patterson as the GECOM Chairman is in clear contravention of Article 161 of our Constitution despite widespread condemnation by civil society and many reputable organizations.
We have witnessed also, that Party Paramountcy has now superseded the Highest Court of the Land not unlike what had transpired during the 28 years of the PNC’s Dark era!
Moreover, it is indisputable that during the past years in Government, the Speaker of the House has failed to act impartially on many occasions, as he ought to and has been criticized on many occasions for his partisan rulings on behalf of the Coalition.
On December 21st, however, he took an impartial stand when he allowed the voting to continue by responding that there is ‘no time out’ during a voting in Parliament and that the voting must be carried to its conclusion. He subsequently declared that the no confidence was passed with a majority support of 33:32 voting in favour.
This decision was fully accepted by the Coalition Government since both the President and the Prime Minister agreed that the decision of the House must be respected and upheld. Granger had said that he will abide with what the Constitution says and Nagamootoo had said that the Government accepted that it has lost the motion of no-confidence brought against it by the PPP/C and that the relevant constitutional provision, namely Article 106(6) and (7) will be activated.
But unfortunately, there is now a volte face by the Government! Nagamootoo is now offering a new version of calculation of what constitutes a majority- a hybrid of Nigel Hughes’!
Now the Attorney General Basil Williams is advising the Government that the Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Barton Scotland erred in ruling that the PPP sponsored no-confidence motion against the Government was carried.
He is now directing the Speaker to reverse his ruling and we all know how persuasive Basil Williams can be! We heard how he dealt with Justice Franklin Holder who was allegedly told that ‘the last magistrate who did this to me was found dead’! It is clear that the Government is once again willing to massacre the relevant Constitutional provisions and force the Courts to churn out another decision in their favour!
It is conclusive that the Speaker had carried out his functions in a fair and unbiased manner according to the rules of the House and the Attorney General has no legal authority to direct him that he had ‘erred’ and should ‘reverse’ his decision.
His legal ‘memorandum’ is a political directive and has no legal basis. This is PNC-styled bullyism and thuggery, and should be strongly condemned by all Guyanese! The Coalition Government lost the no-confidence motion and they should abide by the Constitution.
But this illegal occupying of the Government strongly indicates the innate dictatorial tendencies of this Government and what should equally be condemned is the acceptance by the AFC and the WPA. Once again, these little sharks have shown that they are willing to continue their subservience in order to survive!
In conclusion, this is the sole reason for the birth of dissenters like Charrandass. The leadership of these small parties have failed to live up to their supporters’ expectations and their party’s founding principles.
They should support the legal validity of the ‘no confidence’ motion and call for the Government to respect the Constitution.
This Government should resign now and new elections MUST be held within 90 days!
Yours sincerely,
Haseef Yusuf
RDC Councillor Region 6

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