By Fareeza Haniff
[www.inewsguyana.com] – Parliamentarian for the governing People’s Progressive Party [PPP], Manzoor Nadir says that a clause in Guyana’s constitution states that ALL elected Members of Parliament must be present in the National Assembly when the No Confidence Motion is put to a vote.
During the radio program ‘Hard Talk’ aired on 90.1FM today [Sunday, August 24], Nadir explained that if a Parliamentarian from either side of the House is absent, then the motion cannot be voted on.
Head of Blue Caps, Clinton Urling and Member of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Dr Rupert Roopnarine also participated in the discussion, which was hosted by Chris Chapwanya.
Chapwanya asked Nadir: “What happens if the vote keeps coming up and whichever political Party is in a position in which they don’t want to see this vote go through, just happens to have one of their members not turn up; what happens then?”
In response, Nadir said: “I don’t think any Politician will want not to face the people regardless how an election is called.”
Meanwhile, Urling Clinton said he was not aware of this clause.
“This is a revelation and I think that’s why when we hear about these issues, we should do our research. It comes down to interpretation and it comes down to the judiciary.”
Opposition Leader, David Granger has stated that the combined political opposition will table the no confidence motion against the government in the National Assembly in October.
According to the country’s constitution, the President and the Cabinet must resign if government is defeated by a majority vote in the National Assembly as it relates to the motion. Once this is done, the Government has three months to remain in office and prepare for elections.
In this regard, Nadir expressed his gut feeling that Guyana will go to elections by January 2015. Additionally, Urling as well expressed the feeling that there will be an election in the next six months, however, he says he is less optimistic that it will be Local Government Elections.
“I think the policymakers seem clear [both sides] if the No Confidence motion brings it into play or the government call snap elections,” Urling said.
Dr Roopnarine also shared the view that Guyana will be faced with an imminent election.
