Latest update August 31st, 2024 12:59 AM
Aug 09, 2009 News
…calls for penalties for breach of procedures
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Senior Counsel Charles Ramson, has called for penalties to be levied against parliamentarians who abuse their privileges in the House.
He was referring specifically to the antics of the People’s National Congress Reform frontbencher and Shadow Human Services and Social Security Minister, Volda Lawrence, who prior to her departure from the House at the last sitting that her party took part in, threw a quantity of what appeared to be a white powder on the floor, desk and some of the Government chairs in the House.
This was at the same time that leader of the opposition, Robert Corbin, was throwing down the law books in the House before storming out of the National Assembly with his party members in tow.
The Standing Orders (Protocol/Governing rules) of parliament caters for penalties against MPs for breach of privileges.
Ramson was at the time about to call on the House for the second reading of the Administration of Justice Bill but pleaded for the House’s indulgence in having his views heard on an issue.
According to the Minister of Legal Affairs, he thought it was necessary to air his view, given that there was some level of obfuscation and as a constitutional legal advisor to the government he felt it important to clear the air.
He clearly pointed out that he was in support of the decision of the Speaker to rule against the request of Corbin.
Speaker Ralph Ramkarran denied Robert Corbin the opportunity to have a motion debated to call on Interpol to come to Guyana and investigate the allegations being revealed in a US Court.
Ramkarran told Corbin that the grounds for his seeking to adjourn the day’s business and deal with another matter did not meet the criteria in that it was not urgent and more so, was based on newspaper articles among others.
Corbin even pleaded with the Speaker to set a new precedence, given that all of the grounds that he mentioned were based on Parliaments outside of Guyana. “This is not a light matter.”
The refusal angered Corbin who toppled the law books before him, saying that “if a matter of this gravity is not urgent for this country these laws of Guyana mean absolutely nothing in this country.”
He subsequently told media operatives that the laws now mean absolutely nothing with the President himself breaching the Constitution.
“What sense do those laws mean when a government refuses to accept and abide by the law.”
Mr. Ramson also took umbrage to the statement attributed to Shadow Finance Minister, Winston Murray, who penned a letter in the dailies as it relates to the Speaker’s violation of the Standing Orders on a separate issue, namely the passage of the Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 2009.
Murray, who had pointed out that the Standing Orders were not being adhered to prior to the passage of the Bill was not in House at the time of the passage, given that he and his party had walked out the National Assembly.
According to Murray, the Report of the Special Select Committee on the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 2009 was being presented according to Supplementary Order Paper (No. 2) of July 30, 2009.
He subsequently outlined that on the report was the words “Presented to the National Assembly by Kellawan Lall, the Chairman of the Committee on July 30, 2009.”
But according to Murray, the Standing Order of the House clearly states that “The Report of a Committee may be taken into consideration by the Assembly on a motion. Such a motion may be moved by any Member after one day’s notice.”
Murray said that the fact that the PNCR was not in the House at the time should in no way have affected the Speaker’s duty to uphold the Standing Order, especially as it was brought to his attention earlier.
Murray was of the contention that the Government should have went ahead with the second reading Bill.
The speaker subsequently defended his position and this was supported by Ramson in the House. Ramson added that the Speaker’s ruling should be added to the training manual for students of parliamentary procedure.
He said that the Speaker’s ruling was not only erudite and impeccable but would be able to withstand microscopic and forensic scrutiny.
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