While all parties are seeking an overall majority in tomorrow’s election, should it happen that the poll produces a winner who commands less than 51 per cent of the votes, Guyana could have a minority government which is dependent on compromises with other parliamentary parties to ensure the passage of legislation in the National Assembly.
If there is no agreement among the parties, those in opposition could move a vote of no-confidence in the government, which if it lost would trigger another election.
Former Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran, when contacted by this newspaper, said that under Guyana’s constitution after elections are over the president is sworn in based on which party won the most votes. Afterwards, the president is required to appoint a prime minister and form a government. Under the Westminster system, he explained, the government has to have the support of the majority of the members of the National Assembly or else it would fail. He said that in the absence of a majority it would be difficult for the government to pass its budget.
Outlining a hypothetical situation, Ramkarran, who is also a Senior Counsel, said that if the PPP/C were to win the elections with 49 per cent of the votes, it would need the support of at least another party in the opposition with enough support to take it above 51 per cent. “If there is a hung parliament, then they will have to have other parties joining the government so that it can have a majority,” he said. The opposition could refuse to join with the government and could force the president to appoint an opposition cabinet if he wanted to survive.
Article 106 of the Constitution says that the cabinet, including the president shall resign if the government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of no confidence. Further, it says notwithstanding its defeat, the government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or for a longer period determined by a vote of two-thirds of the assembly. The government would then resign after the new president takes the oath of office following the election.
Ramkarran rejected the view being peddled that there cannot be post-electoral coalitions. “That’s rubbish!” he said, adding that the parties could always reach an agreement afterwards.
“You can’t have a constitutional alliance in the sense that two parties can’t come together and have one list,” the former Speaker said. “In other words, two lists can’t suddenly come together and become one, but you can have an agreement between parties…,” he explained.
The incumbent PPP/C party has repeatedly refused to address the possibility of a hung parliament, saying that it has its eyes set on achieving a majority government. The party’s presidential candidate Donald Ramotar recently told supporters at Bath that he would be ready to listen to the views and ideas of national interest from persons, groups or organizations. Ramotar said too, “We have a country to build and to build it we have to have national unity in Guyana.” He said too that the PPP does not discriminate against anyone and that the party was founded on the principle of building “one Guyana consciousness.”
However, the PPP/C has been encouraging its supporters to ensure that that the party gets a majority and has warned about an APNU/AFC alliance after elections.
Questioned about the possibility of a hung parliament, APNU’s prime ministerial candidate Dr Rupert Roopnaraine said that under Guyana’s constitution the party that wins the most votes will win the presidency. After the president is sworn in he would then have to appoint a cabinet. The government though will be unable to function effectively if it doesn’t have a majority in parliament.
Underscoring APNU’s commitment to a government of national unity, Roopnaraine said that his party is aiming for at least 51 per cent of the votes and should this happen it will immediately negotiate with all parties “provided that they are eligible and that their hands are clean.” In the situation that the party wins the presidency with less than a majority it will willingly negotiate with the other parties in parliament.
In the case of a minority PPP/C government, Roopnaraine said it would be foolhardy of the party not to negotiate with the other parties in parliament. In such a scenario he said that he would urge the PPP/C to establish a government of national unity.
AFC leader and prime ministerial candidate Raphael Trotman said his party will not be prepared to enter into any discussions, in the case of a hung parliament, with any other party unless all the parties are invited in as well. He said that there must be a commitment to major constitutional reform that dismantles the executive presidency and which realigns the National Assembly into “its proper orbit of being the people’s representative body.” The AFC, he said would also want a commitment to tackle corruption, runaway crime and lawlessness.
“We would of course expect that many of those who had a hand in the ‘cookie jar’ and contributed to the morass would be dismissed forthwith,” Trotman said. “If these conditions are not met, then we will not sell out the trust of the people by propping up any corrupt regime or take any positions based on race,” he emphasized.
