United Kingdom (UK) High Commissioner to Guyana Greg Quinn says there is a need to have the court decision on the recently passed no-confidence motion against the APNU+AFC Government quickly “so we all know what happens next.”
Quinn was questioned by Stabroek News last night at his residence in Bel Air Gardens at a business event on the UK Government’s stance on the no-confidence motion and the events that followed.
He said, “Well I think you know things are now in front of the court and we have to wait for the court process. What is good is what the Chief Justice (Roxane George-Wiltshire said) that she will look at this expeditiously and I think you know that’s the important point. We need to have this decided as soon as possible so we all know what happens next and so we have to wait for the court process to see what happens.”
On December 21st, a vote by then APNU+AFC member Charrandass Persaud to an opposition PPP/C sponsored no-confidence motion against the government tipped the scales 33 to 32 in favour of the motion. Consequently, Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Barton Scotland ruled that the motion had been carried.
Scotland later refused an invitation by the government to reverse his decision on the motion, saying it could seek redress in court. As a result, since then, private citizen Compton Reid filed an action declaring that Persaud’s vote was null and void given that he is currently a holder of dual citizenship to Guyana and Canada.
A second application was made to the court that was filed by Attorney General Basil Williams which contends that an “absolute majority” of 34 out of the 65 elected Members of Parliament was needed to have the motion passed instead of the 33 majority that it was passed yet.
Justice George-Wiltshire said on Tuesday she expects to hand down rulings by the end of the month.
“We are going to push ahead and get these matters heard as soon as possible. I am cognisant that the nation is awaiting the outcome of these matters… My anticipation is that by the end of January, we will be through,” Justice George-Wiltshire, who presided over three consecutive hearings at the High Court, said.
