Following the December 21st no-confidence vote, a meeting between President David Granger and Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo has been proposed for Wednesday January 9.
Following the passage of the motion, Jagdeo had through Minister of State Joseph Harmon requested a meeting with Granger to discuss the way forward.
At the time of the request, Granger who is presently being treated for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma had been scheduled to travel to Cuba for a round of chemotherapy but committed to meet “early in January 2019.”
Yesterday, following Speaker Barton Scotland’s decision to refer questions about the motion to the courts, the Opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) reported receiving communication from the Ministry of the Presidency.
According to the letter from Harmon posted on the party’s Facebook page “His Excellency the President will meet with you [Jagdeo] on 2019.01.09 at 11 hours at the Ministry of the Presidency.”
The letter goes on to invite Jagdeo to indicate the matters he wished to place on the agenda.
Stabroek News reached out to Jagdeo and other senior members of the party in an attempt to ascertain whether the President’s invitation had been accepted but up to press time no one could be reached for comment.
Following the defection of government MP Charrandas Persaud, a motion lodged by Jagdeo was carried 33 to 32 in the National Assembly thereby activating the provisions of Article 106 (6) and 106 (7) of the constitution. The first of these says that “the Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence” while 106(7) adds that “notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”
While initially accepting the decision government has since argued that a “majority” as meant by this provision is not 33 members of the 65 member House but 34 as a majority is equal to half plus one. They have also argued that Persaud by actively acknowledging his allegiance to a foreign power by using his Canadian passport to travel, is disqualified from sitting in the House and casting a vote.
Attorney General Basil Williams has argued that in keeping with Article 155(1) of the constitution which provides that “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who: (a) is by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state,” Persaud was not qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly.
Jagdeo meanwhile has called on the government to resign arguing that based on the constitutional provisions they have “diminished authority” and can only act as a caretaker government.
“The framers of our constitution intended…to ensure government acts only in a caretaker fashion in the period allowed by Article 106 (7). Normal duties come to a halt with the exception of those relating to functioning of government because you can’t have a vacuum in government,” Jagdeo said at a press conference last week.
He has since sought to engage the members of the diplomatic community in support of his position noting that if after 90 days there is no election the government becomes unconstitutional and the country inherently unstable.
Observers have pointed out that with yesterday’s decision of the Speaker, there is further pressure for the government to accept that Cabinet inclusive of the President have resigned and that there is no longer a functioning Cabinet.