Joseph Harmon and Carl Greenidge have resigned from their posts as Ministers of State and Foreign Affairs respectively, according to the Peoples National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Vice Chairman, Dr George Norton.
When asked if their resignation as parliamentarians also means they are no longer ministers, Dr Norton told Inews: “definitely, no doubt about that. It goes hand in hand.”
The Ministry of the Presidency announced this morning that all parliamentarians with dual citizenship on the government-side have resigned.
These would have included Ministers Harmon and Greenidge of the PNC/R-faction of the coalition administration as well as Minister of Public Service Rupert Roopnaraine from the Working Peoples Alliance (WPA) and Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin of the Alliance For Change (AFC).
Article 183 of the Constitution of Guyana says “the office of any Minister shall become vacant if that person ceases to be a member of the National Assembly for any cause other than the dissolution of Parliament.”
While Dr Norton could not speak on behalf of the other parties in the coalition, he confirmed that the PNC/R members who resigned as parliamentarians are no longer serving in their capacity as ministers.
He said the government is exploring various options regarding their replacements, but no definite decision has been made.
Regarding replacements for the parliamentarians, Dr Norton noted that the coalition will make a decision in time for the next sitting of the National Assembly, which is scheduled for April 11.
Greenidge, Gaskin and Roopnaraine are all British citizens while Harmon is a citizen of the United States.
