Dear Editor,
Is Andaiye of Red Thread for real? What’s her gripe in comparing past PPP non-violent opposition history with the current opposition parliamentary ruckus? In her letter to SN of November 10 titled ‘When out of office the PPP used civil disobedience while Jagan was banned from Parliament after throwing law books on the floor,’ she nevertheless was accurate that PPP leader Dr Cheddi Jagan was banned for being disruptive by Sase Narine, who was the Speaker. The Speaker terminated Dr Jagan’s right to speak in parliament. In fact the PPP leader even took away the Speaker’s mace which was a symbol of his authority. PPP MP Ishak Bashir of Essequibo also pelted a drinking glass at the Speaker which missed him. It was later revealed the miss was deliberate. But the PNC was illegal and undemocratically ‘elected.’ Compare Andaiye’s ambivalence to the ruckus that opposition MPs displayed when Mr Rohee was speaking. Has the Speaker censured anyone in a way similar to Dr Jagan’s punishment? Somebody must remind Andaiye that a no-confidence motion bill passed in Parliament can have no effect unless the President chooses to act on it. It means the opposition‘s no-confidence motion against Minister Rohee is null and void.
Minister Rohee still continues as the lawful Minister of Home Affairs as he was elected to Parliament and constitutionally appointed minister by the President. The Speaker has been advised that there is no legal way to remove Minister Rohee or deny him the right to speak in Parliament.
He has not been found guilty of wrongdoing. Any punishment of Minister Rohee therefore would only be violating the highest law of the land which is the Guyana constitution, just to satisfy opposition demands.
Undoubtedly Andaiye was outraged when Dr Walter Rodney was assassinated, but was she also similarly outraged when the WPA teamed up with a party, elements of which were associated with that killing?
Yours faithfully,
Sultan Mohamed
