Govt replacement MPs sworn in

Apr 27, 2019 News

Sworn in – Reynard Ward

The government had challenged the validity of Charrandass Persaud’s vote in support of the No Confidence Motion on December 21 last year. They argued that his dual citizenship rendered him ineligible to serve in the National Assembly. That challenge resulted in much public outcry over the dual citizenship of other parliamentarians.
According to Article 155 of the Constitution, persons who have acknowledged allegiance to a foreign power are not permitted to serve in the National Assembly.
Four of those dual citizens were government-aligned MPs, Joseph Harmon, Rupert Roopnaraine, Carl Greenidge and Dominic Gaskin. All of those MPs were also ministers of government.

Sworn in – Tabitha Sarabo-Halley is also the new Minister of the Public Service, within the Ministry of the Presidency

During the reconvening of the National Assembly yesterday, those four members of the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition were absent. The Speaker of the House, Barton Scotland, informed the assembly that this was due to the fact that they tendered their resignations from the House.
Since those seats were vacated, Scotland said that it was necessary to have them filled by interested persons who are on the same list as the MPs who have resigned. They were drawn from the list provided by A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition.
Scotland said that Roopnaraine resigned effective April 4, while the other three dual citizens tendered their resignations on April 25. Those individuals also resigned from their ministerial posts.

President David Granger had said that he has, in accordance with the courts’ rulings on dual citizens in public office, accepted the resignations of Carl

Sworn in – Donna Mathoo

Greenidge, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Dominic Gaskin, Minister of Business; Joseph Harmon, Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency and Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, Minister of the Public Service in the Ministry of

the Presidency.
Joseph Harmon, Rupert Roopnaraine, Carl Greenidge and Dominic Gaskin were replaced by Mervyn Williams, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Donna Mathoo and Reynard Ward respectively. Those persons took the oath of office yesterday, during the opening session.

Sworn in – Mervyn Williams

Scotland notified the assembly that he also received notice that the dual citizens from the Opposition, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), have resigned as well. When the speaker made the request for representatives of that party to fill the vacant posts, no one answered the call.
As Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, stated during a press conference last Thursday that no parliamentarians from that party attended yesterday’s sitting.

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News