Despite his resignation from the post just over a week ago, APNU+AFC Member of Parliament (MP) Joseph Harmon last night performed the traditional role of the of Leader of the Opposition when he wrapped the opposition’s contributions to the budget debate.
With Harmon’s resignation and the subsequent announcement on Wednesday that fellow MP Nicolette Henry would be giving up her seat, it was expected that recently elected PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton would have been appointed in time to close the debate for the opposition coalition.
Although the Central Executive of the PNCR, the largest constituent of APNU, has said Norton should be Leader of the Opposition – and there is support from coalition partner AFC for him taking up the post – he would first have to be extracted from the APNU+AFC List of Candidates by the Representative of the List, former president David Granger, to fill the vacancy. However, sources told this newspaper that up to last evening there had been no official communication to the Parliament Office of Henry’s resignation or the naming of Norton as her replacement.