Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman has not sought legal advice on whether he has the authority to reconvene the National Assembly.
The National Assembly’s annual recess ended on October 10. However, up to now there is no word on when the likely date for the first sitting is going to be after the government and opposition Chief Whips failed to reach an agreement on it.
At the same time the AFC has been seeking for the sitting to be held so that its no confidence motion against the government can be debated and voted on. Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs, however, has suggested that under the Standing Orders, the government has to fix a date before any sitting can be called.
According to Standing Order 8 (2), “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