Latest update April 18th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 09, 2014 APNU Column, Features / Columnists
The Guyanese people are angry at the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC)’s threat to prevent the holding of democratic local government elections and to prevent a parliamentary debate of the President’s performance in office since the November 2011 general and regional elections.
President Donald Ramotar’s dreadful broadcast to the nation last Tuesday was the nadir of his troubled three-year tenure of office. It was an insult to the people of Guyana, who understand that his intentions were not to promote democracy, but to prevent a free and open debate on his performance. It was an affront to the nation, which was offended by the infantile rationalization for delaying the reconvening of the National Assembly which has not met for four months.
The President’s broadcast was a threat to paralyse the parliamentary process and to smother the voices of their legitimate representatives in the National Assembly by shutting down the highest law-making institution in the land. The President’s threat could be compared to shutting down the Supreme Court of Judicature because he did not want the Court to rule on a matter that had been legitimately brought before it.
The President’s broadcast accelerated the aggravation of the constitutional crisis which has emerged as a result of the PPPC’s confrontational posture towards the parliamentary majority. It drained whatever confidence the public might have had in the PPPC’s commitment to the democratic resolution of political issues, if there ever was one. It shattered hopes that Ramotar could ever lead the nation forward out of the one-party, ‘winner-takes-all’ mentality of his predecessors.
The President’s broadcast was a political catastrophe for his cabinet, his party and for this country. The Guyanese people will not accept the threatened denial of democracy. The Guyanese people will not accept the present level of ministerial irresponsibility. The Guyanese people will not accept Ramotar’s continued non-compliance with the Constitution especially with regard to the compulsory conduct of local government elections.
The Guyanese people will not accept PPPC’s arrogant and flagrant disregard for the integrity and independence of the National Assembly. The Guyanese people will not be intimidated by the PPPC’s domineering and dictatorial behaviour. The Guyanese people will resist this aggression by the President and the PPPC.
The President’s mishandling of the most recent scandal involving the Minister of Legal Affairs has dismayed the nation and eroded public respect for the PPPC regime. The President’s political ‘gamesmanship’ in threatening to prorogue the Parliament is a dangerous departure from democratic norms. The President’s delay in the reconvening of the National Assembly and in the holding of local government elections has damaged democracy.
The public has lost confidence in several senior PPPC ministers. The ‘Anilgate’ scandal involving vulgar and scurrilous statements attributed to the Minister of Legal Affairs during a telephone conversation in October 2014; the Parliamentary vote of ‘no-confidence against the Minister of Home Affairs in July 2012; the jeering of the Minister of Education after her vulgar ‘feral blast’ in July 2014 and the referral of the Minister of Finance to the Committee of Privileges, indicate how little confidence the public has in PPPC ministers.
The President’s threat to prorogue or dissolve parliament is a constitutional outrage. It is a cowardly attempt to avoid the debate on the performance of his cabinet and his presidency. It is not a democratic solution to the political problems facing this country at this time.
The Parliament is intended to be a place for discussion, debate, decision-making and the passage of laws. Prorogation is a dangerous gambit intended to paralyse the parliamentary process, but can have that can have unpredictable consequences. The President should face the debate on the PPPC’s record in office rather than hide under the cover of prorogation. The president has obstructed the reconvening of parliament for one month from 10th October to 10th November. He infringed on the Speaker’s authority and intruded officiously into the affairs of the Legislature.
The President’s announced “intention to hold Local Government Elections in the Second Quarter of next year, 2015” is contemptuous of the Constitution. Local government elections, like general and regional elections, are a constitutional entitlement, not a benefaction of the President. The further postponement of elections to an unannounced date at some time in the second quarter of 2015 makes a mockery of the Constitution. It is a denial of democracy to delay elections. It is, equally, a denial of democracy to threaten the Parliament with dissolution or prorogation which will lead to the prolongation of the wait for local government elections.
President Ramotar has insulted the entire nation with his menacing remarks. The President has no grounds for trying to protect the damaged reputations of his ministers from parliamentary sanction. There is no justification for his gratuitous intrusion into the domain of parliamentary independence and for flouting the Constitution.
The President’s broadcast is a reckless and aggressive assault on democracy. He is provoking an already exasperated population by threatening to smother the people’s aspirations for a good life. President Ramotar must be prepared to bear full responsibility for the consequences of his words and deeds.
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