President Donald Ramotar yesterday issued his clearest warning yet to the opposition that their one-seat majority will not result in the passage of bills unless the executive – government – has had input in them.
The hung Parliament has left both sides at a quintessential standoff. The government cannot pass bills unless it secures an opposition vote and while the opposition can present and pass legislation with its wafer-thin majority it won’t become law unless signed by the President.
Ramotar made his statement in what was dubbed by the Government Information Agency (GINA) as a “special interview” with the National Communications Network. A release from GINA said that the President’s warning came in response to the notion prevailing of `rule-by-motion’ politics in the National Assembly where A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) have combined to defeat the PPP/C on several fronts.
“That is not the function of the opposition. They must respect what is their role …I am making it very clear that I will not assent to any bill that they carry unless it is with the full agreement of the Executive and the full involvement of the Executive”, the President stated.
Observers noted that the corollary should also be applicable to the government i.e. no government bill will be passed unless there is opposition input in it.
