A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) met on the 22nd October, at the Office of the Opposition Leader, Hadfield Street Georgetown and agreed that there should be an early resumption of Parliament sittings.
The meeting came in the wake of growing views that the government is delaying the reconvening of the House to avoid having to face the AFC’s no-confidence which if passed, as expected, will bring down the government and trigger general elections in three months.
A debate is also underway as to who has the authority to reconvene sittings at the end of a recess where a date has not been fixed for sittings. The Clerk of the House , Sherlock Isaacs has said that the government has to call the sitting. House Speaker Raphael Trotman has consulted with former House speakers and is said to be considering the way forward. Former Speaker Ralph Ramkarran has said that the current Speaker is obligated to convene a sitting of Parliament soonest and has the authority to do so.
The APNU press release issued today follows:
“The APNU and the AFC discussed the early resumption of sittings of the National Assembly. In view of the fact that the official recess ended on the 10th October and there has been no indication of the date for the next sitting. The parties are agreed that this is not just desirable but necessary in the public interest.
“A Partnership for National Unity was represented by APNU Chairman Brigadier David Granger, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, Mr. Basil Williams, Mr. Carl Greenidge, Ms. Amna Ally, Mr. Joseph Harmon and Mr. Winston Felix.
“The Alliance for Change was represented by AFC leader Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, Ms. Cathy Hughes and AFC General Secretary, Mr. David Patterson.”
