AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan says that Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh could be faced with contempt proceedings in the National Assembly for failing to fully report on the sale of national assets by the holding company, National Indus-trial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).
An opposition motion, calling for the government to present a report on NICIL, was passed and Ramjattan said that while the motion made it quite clear that they want to see the documents and accounts provided to parliament, they have heard that the government is not going to abide by this.
“We feel that is bad governance to the hilt. It is wrong what they are doing there. Our motions in Parliament once approved by a majority must be adhered to. That is parliamentary procedure,” he said at the AFC’s weekly press conference yesterday.
Ramjattan added that they can bring contempt proceedings against the minister, for not providing the information requested in the motion “and we can get that minister out of the parliament. I hope they understand that.”
The AFC leader said that they will adhere to rules and parliamentary practices “and if we have to do so, we’re going to ensure that that minister who is not adhering to the motion statement that he be put up in the privileges committee for contempt.”
In relation to the establishment of the Public Procurement Commis-sion, Ramjattan said that at the tripartite talks he had indicated that he would like to see former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran and accountant Christopher Ram sit on the commission. He said that they have heard that it would be established by October. Ramjattan said that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly has to recommend the persons who could be members of the commission and send the names to the president for him to swear in. He said that the PAC has gotten some names and is considering them. “It is the PAC where the process has to start,” he added.
Rohee
Meanwhile, Ramjattan also said that the government should act on the no-confidence motion passed against Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee and he vowed that the party will work towards seeing his removal.
Last month, the opposition used its majority to adopt a motion expressing no-confidence in and calling for the removal of Rohee. The ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) subsequently said that it fully supports Rohee, despite the motion.
Ramjattan said that the government and President Donald Ramotar should use the parliamentary recess to do some deliberations and research as to what no-confidence motions are about and their implications. “It would appear that they are being arrogant to the extent…that it has no meaning for them. They’re gonna continue to have the minister be the minister,” he said.
The AFC leader said that his party intends “to make life difficult” for the minister, who has to appreciate that the majority of the members of parliament have no confidence in him. The motion should be adhered to like in every Westminster system, Ramjattan said, while pointing out that while it is not in the constitution, “It’s a convention.”
Ramjattan said that the minister ought to do the honourable thing but if he does not do so then the president ought to ask for his resignation or dismissal. It has happened in Guyana before, Ramjattan said, pointing to the resignations of former Home Minister Ronald Gajraj and Minister of Finance Asgar Ally.
“We are going to…ensure that at some stage, it is adhered to by our activities, whenever that minister gets up to make his presence felt in that parliament,” he said adding that they are going to come up with some creative methods.
The main opposition APNU has already signalled that it will not cooperate with Rohee on any front.
