While he had supported former Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge’s return to the ministry to deal with border matters, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday questioned his current portfolio as Foreign Secretary even as he blasted the government for its rehiring of the four ministers with dual citizenship.
“He has become the Foreign Secretary within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for the Department of Frontiers and Territorial Integrity and the Department of Trade and Economic Cooperation. So what is the portfolio of the minister?” Jagdeo asked, during a press conference he held yesterday at his Church Street office.
“And even the choice of…the word ‘Foreign Secretary’; in the UK, the Foreign Secretary is the minister. What happens to the minister…and what happens to the Director General?” he added.
Government on Tuesday announced job portfolios for three of the four ministers who resigned from parliament because they are dual citizens.
Greenidge was named Foreign Secretary; former Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin was given the position of Director of Manufacturing and Marketing; and former Minister of Public Service Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, responsibility for public service and the disciplined services colleges.
The Opposition Leader questioned if Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo would have an issue with Greenidge in the position. “When Nagamootoo speaks of split loyalty, the persons who sits on the frontier position is a dual citizen. Now does he have dual loyalty?” he asked.
Jagdeo said that Gaskin was given a technical position in the ministry which was not advertised. You move from minister to a director in your ministry and what are his skills?” he asked.
In the case of Roopnarine, he noted that it was the same issue. “He has not functioned a single day and they just give him a sinecure position. This cabal looks out for itself. If there was any hope in Guyana that we would see the last of these ministers, that was not so,” he said.
According to Article 155 (1) (a) of the Constitution, “No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly 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 keeping with this provision, Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, in the case of Compton Reid v. Speaker of the National Assembly et al, declared, on 31st January, 2019, that it was unconstitutional for a person holding dual citizenship to be elected as a Member of Parliament. This ruling was affirmed by a majority decision of the Court of Appeal on 22nd March, 2019.
Four ministers, including former Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who is now the Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency, subsequently resigned.
President David Granger had, from the inception, indicated that he expected the four ministers to stay on and serve government in other capacities.
