|
– Opposition calls for judicial review Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs insists that the swearing-in of three APNU+AFC Members of Parliament (MPs) as technocrat ministers on Wednesday was perfectly legal.The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) however maintains that the appointments of Keith Scott, Minister within the Ministry of Communities; Sydney Allicock,Scott Darling Jersey, Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs and Minister of Citizenship, Mr. Winston Felix, as technocrats is unconstitutional.Clerk of the National Assembly,Cam Atkinson Jersey, Sherlock IsaacsTo support its position, the PPP contended via a statement that Articles 103 (3) and 105 of the Constitution and laws pronouncing on the eligibility of appointment of Technocratic Ministers do not confer Technocratic status on these three persons already sworn in by President David Granger as Ministers.The Party pointed that Allicock is listed on the APNU+AFC Geographic List of Candidates for Region 9 at number 1; but stressed that the APNU+AFC Coalition did not win the geographic seat for that Region. It said that Felix and Scott are listed on the APNU+AFC National Top Up list of Candidates at numbers 24 and 46 respectively.“These views of the PPP have been shared with the Parliament Office. The PPP is urging that the Constitution and relevant laws be respected and calls on the Clerk of the National Assembly not to administer the Oath as Member of Parliament to these three persons,” the party had urged.In his defence,Scott Gomez Jersey, the Clerk of the National Assembly told the media yesterday via a statement that a closer examination of the said Articles,Corey Crawford Jersey, 103 (3) and 105 of the Constitution would reveal that they do not adequately define a non-elected Member.He said that based on the Representation of the People Act (Cap 1:03),Travis Moen Jersey, and, in accordance with practice,Jeremy Roenick Jersey, an elected Member can be safely defined as a person whose name was extracted from the list of candidates and declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to be an MP.Isaacs said that,Joakim Nordstrom Jersey, in his view, a person who is on the list (presented by the contesting Parties on Nomination Day) and whose name was not extracted and declared by GECOM to be an elected Member, can be appointed a non-elected Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary in accordance with Article 104 (3) of the Constitution.He added,Jonas Brodin Jersey, “Precedent has also been established on this matter in the Ninth and Tenth Parliaments in the case of Mr. Ralph Ramkarran who was on the PPP’s list of candidates in 2006 and subsequently became a non-elected Speaker of the National Assembly. In addition, Mr. Raphael Trotman was on the Alliance For Change (AFC)’s list of candidates in 2011 and was also a non-elected Speaker.’Isaacs stressed that as Clerk of the National Assembly,Jonathan Drouin Team North America Jersey, he will continue to do his job professionally and in accordance with the laws of Guyana.The PPP however did not seem to be satisfied with the Clerk’s response to its concerns. Through another statement later yesterday, they said that Isaacs’ advice has only worsened the situation.The Opposition deemed his advice to be “clearly unsound, since as is known, unextracted lists members are still recognized as elected members of the House and can be extracted and appointed as elected Members of Parliament at any time during the five-year term of the Parliament.”The PPP said that it is clear that the drafters of the constitution intended to have different criteria for the designation of other elected or eligible to be elected Members of Parliament. The party called for a judicial review of the matter. |
|