Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo has the power to push constitutional reform to the forefront of government business in the National Assembly, according to political analyst Ralph Ramkarran who has questioned why he is not doing so.
“…Prime Minister Nagamootoo is not powerless. Under the Constitution of Guyana, he is the Leader of Government Business in the National Assembly. If a Bill in his name is before the Standing Committee for Constitutional Re-form, and there is delay in considering it, he cannot pass the buck. He cannot blame the Committee. As Prime Minister and Leader of Government Business, he has the authority to direct AG Basil Williams to convene a meeting of the Committee to consider the Bill. If he needs help, the Prime Minister can invoke the assistance of the Cabinet or of the President. If the Prime Minister is unwilling to take such steps, he has to take responsibility, rather than appealing to the public for understanding,” Ramkarran wrote in his weekly ‘The Conversation Tree’ column in the Sunday Stabroek.