Parliamentary Majority - We are being burdened by a legal caterwauling

Parliamentary Majority – We are being burdened by a legal caterwauling

Jan 01, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

We seem to be confused about simple things that even a schoolboy can understand and differentiate, much less our legal luminaries.
In line with our Constitution, a majority is achieved when a party receives more than half of the 65 seats in Parliament: 33 seats.
There are four types of majorities used in Parliamentary sittings: Absolute Majority, Effective Majority, Simple Majority and Special Majority namely:.
1. Absolute majority refers to a majority of more than 50% of the total membership of the House. But this majority is used during the general election for the formation of government.
2. Effective Majority of the House means more than 50% of the effective strength of the House. This implies that out of the total strength, we deduct the vacant seats at sitting.
3. Simple Majority refers to the majority of more than 50% of the members present and voting. This is also known as functional majority or working majority. The simple majority is the most frequently used form of majority in Parliamentary business. When the constitution or the laws do not specify the type of majority needed, the simple majority is considered for voting.
4. Special Majority refers to all types of majorities other than the absolute, effective or simple majority as stated in our Constitutional Clauses. As far as I can remember, special majority as indicated in our Constitution requires a majority of two-third members present and voting. This type of majority is used for most of the Constitutional Amendment Bills.
As an ordinary Guyanese layman, I believe we are being burdened by a legal caterwauling

Sincerely yours,
Ed Singh

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