Dear Editor,
No-confidence motions have been filed against the administrations of two states in the Caribbean community and the electorates in these two countries are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the no-confidence motions which if passed will pave the way for early general elections.
In Guyana the small opposition party, Alliance For Change (AFC) has filed a no-confidence motion against the Donald Ramotar administration and is hoping to get the support of the main opposition party, APNU. If all the members of APNU support the no-confidence motion, it could pass since the combined opposition has one more vote than the PPP/C, and will force the government to call elections within 90 days from its passing. The motion might be delayed because there is a debate on if the Speaker has the authority to set a date for the reconvening of Parliament which has just come out of recess.
The Speaker, Raphael Trotman, is a senior member of the AFC and he was advised by the Clerk of the National Assembly that he has no authority to do so. However the former Speaker Ralph Ramkarran who has quit the PPP/C, feels that his successor has the power. Despite the advice of the Clerk, the Speaker went ahead last Wednesday and instructed the Clerk to reconvene Parliament for November 6.
Over in St. Kitts/Nevis, a second no-confidence motion was filed against the Denzil Douglas administration last week, The first which was submitted two years ago, never came up for debate in Parliament because it was stalled since legal proceedings were filed in the courts. Prime Minister Denzil Douglas is facing stiff opposition since his deputy, Sam Condor who was also Minister of Foreign Affairs and another Minister, Dr. Timothy Harris who held the portfolio of Agriculture and International Trade resigned and moved over to the opposition bench. This means that there are now six elected members on the opposition side as opposed to five on the government’s. However there are two government senators and the attorney general who sit with PM Douglas.
Yours faithfully,
Oscar Ramjeet
