Amid a row over who has the authority to convene the National Assembly, Speaker Raphael Trotman yesterday announced that the Mace, the symbol of the authority of the office of the Speaker, was stolen but Clerk Sherlock Isaacs later said that it had been taken for cleaning and would be returned shortly.
The stunning announcement was made yesterday afternoon by the Office of Speaker.
Trotman stated that the Mace was absent when he entered his office yesterday.
He said the object was removed from the office without his permission or knowledge and as a result a report was made to the Commissioner of Police. He also stated that the entire protective case in which the Mace is kept was missing.
Trotman stated that the Mace is only removed by the Sergeant-at-arms for use during sittings or for temporary viewing by guests on tour of the National Assembly.
He added that when enquiries were made of its whereabouts, no one could give a responsible explanation as to where it was. He noted that staff members appeared afraid to provide an explanation.
However, Isaacs subsequently issued a statement informing that the Mace was not stolen and it was taken to the Clerk’s Office for cleaning, as is customary. He said it was also removed for a new housing box to be made and it will remain in the Clerk’s Office over the weekend and will be returned to the Speaker’s Office on Monday.
The Speaker and the Clerk have recently differed over who has the authority to convene a sitting of the National Assembly as the country waits with bated breath. The convening of the Assembly has great significance as it will likely see a motion of no-confidence being moved against the government, with the likelihood of the government collapsing and fresh elections being held. The movement of the Mace raises questions about the security arrangements for Parliament Building.
During a similar crisis in 1963 in then British Guiana, it was reported that the then PPP administration had instructed the clerk to take away the Mace from the legislature as a means of preventing any sittings which the then Speaker, Rahaman B Gajraj, was attempting to summon.
