Former Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon, who had resigned from that constitutional position in January 2022, has now stepped down altogether as a Member of Parliament (MP).
Sources have confirmed that Harmon on Thursday afternoon submitted to the Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs his resignation as a parliamentarian representing the APNU+AFC Coalition.
INews was told that Harmon’s resignation takes effect March 15.
It is suspected that Harmon’s resignation will open up another opportunity for PNC Leader Aubrey Norton to take up a seat in the National Assembly and then ultimately be elected the country’s new Opposition Leader.
Last month, APNU’s Nicolette Henry – who served as Education Minister under the David Granger administration – announced her resignation as a Parliamentarian. That resignation, however, takes effect until March month-end.
At the time, it was reported that Henry’s resignation will pave the way for Norton to take up the post as Opposition Leader, following Harmon’s resignation on January 26. Though he had resigned as Opposition Leader, Harmon was still performing as a parliamentarian.
Norton has a mandate from the PNC Executive to take up both the position of Opposition Leader and the position of Representative of the List of Candidates for APNU+AFC– which is currently headed by former PNC leader David Granger with AFC’s Leader Khemraj Ramjattan as the deputy.
Harmon, who was contesting for leadership of the PNC, lost to Norton who won by a landslide victory. Harmon as well as Granger were also not elected to the Central Executive Committee of the party – the highest decision making body of the organisation.
Harmon had initially refused to step down as Opposition Leader, saying that he can still perform that role despite the unfavourable showings at the PNC’s internal elections.
Granger has faced harsh criticisms from within the party following APNU+AFC’s defeat at the March 2, 2020 polls after just one term in office. The APNU+AFC had fell to a no-confidence motion in December 2018 after one of its own parliamentarians sided with the then PPP/C Opposition to vote in favour of the motion.
