Dual citizen parliamentarian Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has submitted his letter of resignation to the Speaker of the National Assembly but the six other dual citizen Members of Parliament (MPs) on the government and opposition sides are yet to do so.
“I have done so, yes,” Roopnaraine, who held the Public Service Minister portfolio, disclosed when contacted by Stabroek News. He, however, could not give the specific date but said it was done “a few days ago. I cannot remember exactly.”
Roopnaraine, along with Carl Greenidge, who is the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of State Joseph Harmon and Business Minister Dominic Gaskin from the government, and Gail Teixeira, Odinga Lumumba and Adrian Anamayah from the opposition, have committed to resigning from parliament in keeping with recent rulings of the High and Appeal courts.
They have been occupying seats in the National Assembly although not being qualified to do so according to the Constitution. Article 155 (1) (a) of the Constitution states, “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assem-bly who is, by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.”
In addition to resigning, five of the seven are to renounce their foreign citizenship, according to announcements made by both the government and the opposition.
Roopnaraine had indicated from the inception that he was willing to give up his British citizenship which he acquired in the 1950s.
Earlier this month, he had said that doing so is an easy decision and explained that he had kept it as it allowed him easier access to his grandchildren, who were born in the United Kingdom and resided there. He noted that this is no longer the case and he has not travelled to the United Kingdom for many years.
Roopnaraine had said too that he has had discussions with President David Granger on his resignation and the president asked him if he would still be willing to serve the country in a non-ministerial capacity. He said that he answered in the affirmative and some options were given.
Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo had said previously that his members’ letters would be delivered by this week. This newspaper reached out to Teixeira on Monday and yesterday and she indicated that she is still to submit her resignation. On Monday, she noted that she would do so later in the week while yesterday, she indicated that she still had time left as the week had not ended.
Gaskin, when asked if he has submitted his letter, responded in the negative. “Not as yet, not as yet,” he said before committing to getting this done “shortly.”
He assured that this step will be taken before the next parliamentary sitting. Initially, April 11 was set for the sitting, but government has since pushed back that date. Checks with Parliament Office yesterday revealed that no other date has been set.
Asked what is delaying him, Gaskin explained that while it is quite straightforward, it must be understood that he was first appointed a MP and then a minister. He said that one has to be an MP to hold a ministerial post.
He said that he has submitted his letter of resignation (as a minister) to the president who has accepted same and who will now advise them on the date that this is to become effective.
“If I submit my resignation to the parliament, it is deemed to be immediately effective, so we are waiting on the president to confirm the date and then we will resign as parliamentarians,” he said. Granger is presently abroad.
Gaskin, who is still performing his ministerial duties, said that he and the other government parliamentarians are awaiting the president’s return. “So it is coming, it’s not being withheld, there is no tricks…no delay. Whenever the parliament sits next, it will be done before then,” he assured.
Unlike the other MPs, Gaskin is not a Guyanese citizen by birth. He was born in the UK.
Questions have been raised as to whether the process of resigning as a parliamentarian is a complex one.
Guyana Elections Com-mission (GECOM) Public Relations Officer Yolanda Warde outlined the process when contacted by Stabroek News on Monday. She said GECOM is the holder of the national candidates’ lists of the respective parties and if there is the resignation of a parliamentarian, the Speaker would write to the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) informing him of the situation and indicating the need for a replacement. She said the CEO will then write to the representative of the respective list, indicating that a replacement needs to be identified.
Warde explained that when the replacement is identified, that name will be checked against the list and once it is confirmed that that name is on the list, the CEO will write the Speaker indicating who the replacement will be.
She said that the replacement parliamentarian is issued with a copy of the letter that is sent to the Speaker.
Parliament Office provided a similar outline of the process to Stabroek News.
Attorney and PPP/C MP Anil Nandlall has insisted that the process is a very simple one which could be completed in less than a day.
