Caribbean Life, M 8 arch 29–April 4, 2019 BQ
Guyana government wins appeal
against no confidence vote
the house to confirm that
a majority of 33 of the
65 parliamentary votes
were all that was needed
for the government to
fall and be forced to call
new elections in 90 days.
Government attorneys
argued that 34 rather
than 33 were needed as
a half of the 65 assembly
seats would have been
32.5. Given the fact that
there is no half human
or half vote, the contention
is that one had to be
added to make it 34 for
an absolute rather than
simple majority.
But the PPP spectacularly
won the first round
of an unprecedented constitutional
war of correctness
when Chief Justice
Roxanne George agreed
with the contention that
33 votes were sufficient
for the PPP to win the
motion, triggering wild
celebrations in the party’s
camp and emboldening it
for government to either
resign or call elections by
the end of April.
As widely expected,
however, cabinet took
its case to the Guyana
appeals court, the second
highest after the Caribbean
Court of Justice
(CCJ) based in neighboring
Trinidad and won a
2-1 majority last Friday.
Two judges ruled that 34
votes were required to
remove the administration.
The other said 33.
Again as expected, the
PPP has kept its promise
to take the case to the
CCJ. It if loses as authorities
expect, it will be business
as usual for Granger
and his band-normal cabinet
meetings, parliament
in full session again,
approval and spending
on mega contracts and
projects as well as normal
functioning until governments
feels it right to call
an election date before
August of 2020, the outer
date for elections.
By then, ExxonMobil
and partners would long
have begun pumping
some of the more than
five billion barrels of oil
they first discovered offshore
in May of 2015, just
around the time Granger’s
multiparty, multiracial
coalition swept to
power, unfortunately with
only a one-seat majority
that the PPP could
succeed in toppling if it
wins at the CCJ. Guyana
expected to earn about
$300 million annually
until Exxon and partners
recover their investment.
By 2025, the big bucks
are expected to flow as
profit rather than first oil
would be in vogue then
and production would be
around 75,000 barrels
per day rather than the
initial 120,000. By next
year also, Finance Minister
Winston Jordan
would have the opportunity
to unload a popular
and populist budget
that could win hearts and
minds and take the coalition
over the top, even if
barely.
Meanwhile, Charrandass
Persaud, the coalition
legislator who voted
with the PPP and then
fled to Canada using a
Canadian passport and
citizenship, said his was a
conscience vote but people
like Security Minister
Khemraj Ramjattan argue
that Persaud accepted
bribes of US$1illion-much
of it from Trinidadian
businessmen close to the
PPP- to vote against his
own government. He has
since sued the minister
for defamation of character.
As Guyanese await the
ruling of the CCJ, the
elections commission has
placed a massive spike in
the ambitions of the PPP
to force early elections as
it will soon embark on a
new round of house to
house registration of voters.
This could take up to
nine months in addition
to a prescribed period
when voters are allowed
to correct the list. Add to
this the minimum of 32
days between nomination
day and an election date
and this takes elections
well into the first quarter
of 2020.
“It is business as
usual,” said Attorney
General Basil Williams
after he and his team
that including Caribbean
luminary Francis Alexis
won at the local appeals
court. Foreign Minister
Carl Greenidge said” the
majority decision establishes
that the coalition
government is legal and
lawful, and constitutionally
remains in office
without hindrance or
let. You should remain
calm in awaiting the outcome
of that process as
well .I urge all Guyanese
to conduct their business
and go about their
daily activity with the
full confidence that their
safety and well-being are
assured,” he said.
Government insiders
have bragged a bit
about the coalition being
knocked to the canvas for
a count of eight but not
completely out, allowing
government to fight out
the remaining monthly
rounds in office.
Continued from Page 1
Guyana’s President David Granger.
Associated Press / Joedson Alves