Former Leader of the Opposition Joseph Harmon has officially resigned as a Member of Parliament with effect from Tuesday, March 15, 2022, according to Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs.
Harmon on February 28 had written to Speaker Manzoor Nadir signalling his intention to resign from the legislature.
That letter stated: “I hereby give notice of my intention to resign as a Member of Parliament of the 12th Parliament of Guyana with effect from 15th March. 2022. I have given this decision my deepest thoughts and am of the view that it is in the best interest of the APNU/AFC Coalition and the people of Guyana that I resign this seat.”
However, both Harmon’s party – the People’s National Congress Reform – and Isaacs said that they did not consider the letter as a formal resignation.
Yesterday, during a brief telephone interview with Stabroek News, Isaacs said that Harmon tendered his formal resignation letter on Monday.
“The first letter signalled his intent to resign. But yesterday (Monday) I received another letter from Mr Harmon and this was definite. It is ‘I hereby tender my resignation effective March 15 [2022]’ and we consider this as the formal letter of resignation,” the Clerk related.
He added that it is now up to Speaker Nadir to write to the leader of the APNU+AFC’s list of representatives, David Granger, to inform him of Harmon’s resignation.
“The Speaker would have to write Mr Granger as leader of the list informing him that Mr Harmon has resigned and ask him to extract another name from the list he submitted to GECOM before the elections. That name would then be submitted to GECOM and they would make the appointment after which the person would be sworn in as Member of Parliament,” Isaacs explained.
The PNCR – the largest member of the APNU – has already written to Granger instructing him to extract the name of its leader Aubrey Norton to sit in the National Assembly. Norton, initially, was supposed to replace former Education Minister Dr Nicolette Henry who tendered her resignation effective March 31, 2022.
However, with a second seat to be filled some members within the PNCR’s Executive advocating for the return of Volda Lawrence to the National Assembly, noting that her political astuteness and financial leadership is desperately needed.
Norton’s ascension to the House rests in the hands of Granger and whether he would follow the directive on the APNU or extract a name he deems fit.
Harmon, who was Leader of the Opposition at the time, suffered a humiliating defeat at the PNCR leadership elections in December last year. He received a measly 245 votes while Aubrey Norton received 967 to assumed leadership of the PNCR from Granger.
The election results bolstered calls for Harmon to resign and pave the way for Norton to become an MP. Harmon, who was handpicked by Granger to become Opposition Leader, resigned from the post on January 26. The post of Opposition Leader has been vacant since Harmon’s resignation and awaiting the appointment of Norton.
