Dear Editor,
It seems that it is now customary to preface or conclude any discussion on misbehaviour in the National Assembly, as in your article on 30 December on the latest episode there, with an accounting of the incident more than thirty years ago in January 1991 when PPP MP Isahak Basir picked up the Mace in the National Assembly and handed it to Dr Jagan, telling the ‘Minority’ Leader, who had then been under a ban for months if not years from speaking in the Assembly, that he could speak.
The circumstances then were that, after almost thirty years of rigging, the time for elections which were constitutionally due that year was being extended by an Act, which would inevitably be passed, to extend the life of the National Assembly. Of course, despite all of this, Mr Basir should have left the Mace alone and kept his patience as he had no doubt done over the previous thirty years.
What is not often the subject of discussion when referring to Mr Basir’s conduct, however, is that the consequence of his behaviour was his expulsion from his seat in the National Assembly.
This was done, as reported in Stabroek News on 5 March 1991 by Anand Persaud, now Editor in Chief, on a Motion moved by Regional Development Minister Jeffrey Thomas, seconded by PNC MP Amna Ally, and given fifteen minutes of floor support by Prime Minister Hamilton Green.
According to Stabroek News in that article, the mover, seconder and supporter of the Motion all condemned the behaviour of Mr Basir and said that resort had to be made to disciplinary action.
Yours faithfully,
Kamal Ramkarran
