Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs yesterday said it was up to the government to set a date for the next parliamentary sitting, after the Chief Whips for both the government and opposition could not find consensus.
Opposition Chief Whip Amna Ally told Stabroek News that following the Parliamentary Manage-ment Committee meeting yesterday there had been discussions with the government’s Chief Whip Gail Teixeira but to no avail.
The next parliamentary sitting is crucial in light of the push by the AFC for its no-confidence motion against the government, which could trigger new general elections if carried, to be given priority once the Assembly meets.
Ally said that no date could be agreed as yet. She added that next week was out for an official sitting because members of the government would be travelling due to obligations related to the anti-money laundering legislation.
She added that she expected further contact and discussions with Teixeira today, but hinted that there appeared to be a direct attempt by the government to stall the sitting.
Isaacs yesterday told Stabroek News that Standing Order 8 (2) would only allow for the Speaker of the House Raphael Trotman to adjust a date for the sitting if one was already set.
It says, “If, during an adjournment of the Assembly, it is represented to the Speaker by the Government, or the Speaker is of the opinion, that the public interest requires that the Assembly should meet on a day earlier than that to which it stands adjourned, the Speaker may give notice accordingly and the Assembly shall meet at the time stated in such notice.”
Isaacs explained that since a date was not fixed for the next sitting, it was his belief that the Speaker does not have the authority to fix a date for the next sitting. “Only the government could make a request to the Clerk for the next sitting,” he said.
He said that as far as he was concerned, there was nothing within the Standing Orders that would allow the opposition to potentially call a sitting of the National Assembly. He noted that the Standing Order 8 (2) had a “catch” that ensured the Speaker would only have the authority to call an earlier sitting once the government had approached the Clerk to set a date.
He said that it was the government’s ultimate responsibility to call for a sitting.
Observers have noted that the government appears to be stalling in setting a date over concern that the AFC will push for its motion to be debated and put to a vote.
On Tuesday, the AFC called for the first sitting to be next week, since there was no indication it would happen this week.
The parliamentary recess officially ended on October 10 and there has been no move by the government to call for a sitting knowing that there is intense public interest surrounding the AFC’s no-confidence motion, which was submitted to Isaacs on August 7.
The motion, if passed by a majority, would force the resignation of the Donald Ramotar government and trigger elections which would have to be called within three months.
Stabroek News was unable to make contact with Teixeira for comment on whether the government was stalling the sitting to allow President Ramotar to engage Leader of the Opposition David Granger. Granger, who is also leader of the main opposition APNU, has signalled that the coalition would support the motion.
