Joseph Harmon resigns as Member of Parliament

Mar 06, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – Former Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon who vacated that position only a few weeks ago has since tendered his resignation to the National Assembly, signalling his intent to no longer serve as a Member of Parliament (MP).

Joseph Harmon

The Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs in confirming this development, revealed that the letter was received by him on Saturday from Harmon, indicating that the resignation takes effect on March 15, 2022.
Isaacs added that Harmon did not state his reason for resignation.
It was only on January 26, 2022 during the Budget Debates that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, announced that Harmon had resigned as Leader of the Opposition.
His resignation as Opposition Leader came two weeks after the newly elected Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), Mr. Aubrey Norton told a news conference that the party has made a decision that it wants to be led by him.
Norton was declared the new leader of the PNC/R after securing more than 70 percent of the total votes cast for the position during the party’s 21st Biennial Delegates Congress, held in December last.
Also vying for the post were Dr. Richard Van-West Charles and Joseph Harmon.
Following Harmon’s defeat in the party’s internal elections process and the decision of its members to be led by Norton in Parliament, former Education Minister, Dr. Nicolette Henry resigned from the National Assembly to make room for the new Opposition Leader.
Henry’s resignation was announced on February 2, 2022.
The former Education Minister, under the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, made the announcement as she wrapped up her 2022 budget debate presentation.
“I am forever grateful to the people of this country who afforded me the opportunity to serve them with professionalism, dignity and accountability. I than the coalition partners, Khemraj (Ramjattan), for their unwavering support and guidance. I thank each and every member in this honourable house for the commitment and dedication you bring each and every day, sometimes under the most difficult circumstances… I part company and I conclude my contribution to budget 2022,” Henry concluded.
Harmon did not attend Parliament to make his contributions to the 2022 Budget, but instead presented virtually.
Most of the Opposition MPs had however, staged a walkout during his contributions.
Since Norton’s public announcement of the party members wanting to be led by him, Harmon and the new Leader had been at loggerheads.
In fact after the announcement, the office of the Leader of the Opposition which was then under the stewardship of Harmon, issued a statement urging that the procedures be followed.
It said: “The main Parliamentary Opposition is the APNU+AFC coalition and consists of 31 Members of Parliament. The APNU Partnership has an established structure and if the executive of a party in the partnership has a position and they wish to express that position, they should follow the established procedures. The Office of the Leader of the Opposition is a constitutional office and is consequently governed by the constitution”.
The Opposition, up to press time, did not issue a statement on Harmon’s resignation. It is also unclear when Norton would be appointed Opposition Leader and Member of Parliament.

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