Minister Oneidge Walrond was yesterday sworn in as a technocrat member of the National Assembly in keeping with a commitment made to the High Court by Attorney General Anil Nandlall SC.
Walrond who holds the portfolio of Tourism, Industry and Commerce had been the subject of a Court challenge after she took the oath of a parliamentarian while still a citizen of the United States.
Walrond had first taken the oath as a Minister on August 5th and then as an MP on September 1st. Both appointments transgressed the law as she was still a dual citizen. Both she and the government had up to that point argued that no wrong had been committed.
The opposition APNU+AFC on November 18 filed an action in the High Court against Walrond seeking a declaration that she had been illegally sworn in as a MP.
In his application filed against Walrond, the Attorney General and the Speaker of the National Assembly, Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones was asking the court to grant among other things, declarations not only that Walrond was an illegal member of the 12th Parliament but that she was also unlawfully appointed a Minister of government.
He was able to secure a declaration that Walrond was not lawfully appointed to the Assembly due to her dual citizenship but Nandlall revealed that government had already moved to correct what he called an “error of law” through her secret reappointment as minister on December 1st.
He further revealed that Walrond would be taking the Oath at the next sitting of the Assembly. That sitting was yesterday.
Also taking the oath of a parliamentarian was Dr. Ashni Singh who will serve as a Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance.
