| By Ralph SeeramThere have been interesting statements coming out of the PNC-led APNU-AFC coalition this past week. Many may not have noticed, but these were very significant statements.The opposition carried its campaign into the heart of PPP supporters in the Diaspora, in Richmond Hill,Nike Men Air Max 97 For Sale, New York,Cheap Jerseys Store, known as “Little Guyana”.Two statements made there, one by Moses Nagamootoo and the other by coalition leader David Granger.Nagamootoo is quoted, “We are not saying this to big-up ourselves, we are not saying this as a threat,Nike Air Max 97 Silver Bullet Australia, but we are saying that we hold a guarantee that if thing don’t go well, you and I have to file legal proceedings for a DIVORCE. I am taking my property with me, twelve seats, and when you end up in a minority, I go over to the other side and you getting the no confidence motion all over again”.“Nothing is cast in stone, nothing can be assured that it can go on without a flaw, or that it can go on without any changes,” Nagamootoo added.While you are digesting that gem of a statement which I will come back to, here is David Granger at the same meeting saying that the present voters’ list is “dirty”. “Do not take things for granted …do not be complacent…the list has suddenly gone up by a hundred thousand to 567,000…How in three years a country in which the population is falling, the voters list has gone up by a 100,000?”.He went on to say, “We are better, because APNU and AFC will sit down and decide that we are going to work towards a clean list…That’s a DIRTY list and we are going to clean elections for not only this year, but years to come”.Dealing with the latter first, I am not sure if Mr. Granger is confused. Guyana has been getting clean elections since 1992. The only period the elections were not clean were during Mr. Granger’s party the PNC rule from the 60’s to 1992. We all know those were years of rigged elections.It is not for APNU-AFC to clean the list; that’s GECOM’s job. GECOM is an independent body; political parties can help “clean” the list now by bringing evidence to GECOM’s attention. It’s the political party’s job to scrutinize the list and bring concerns to GECOM.There are provisions for political parties to object and help clean the list. What I rather suspect is that the opposition is setting up itself to blame the voters’ list if it loses the upcoming election, an excuse if you may.I agree that considering the population the list maybe high but remember the key is to see how many people uplifted their voter registration cards. That will give a better indication of the number that will turn out to vote.Obviously GECOM needs to work on a system to weed out the dead and those voters that migrated. But I won’t classify it as a “dirty list”, unless the PNC is afraid that dead people may vote as happened during their time in office.Coming back to Moses Nagamootoo’s divorce threat, if he does not get what he agreed to. The APNU-AFC wedding took place about six weeks ago, and they still have not worked out the pre nuptials. Well it’s not pre anymore just nuptials. They agreed on sharing the assets (parliamentary seats, cabinet Ministers etc), but with about six weeks before the elections, we are yet to hear about their programmes for Guyana, a manifesto of sorts.All we hear at this point is that they have to get rid of the PPP, but replace it with what? What are their plans?I rather suspect internally the “great” coalition is having serious internal problems agreeing on policies on the way forward. What have we heard from the PNC led APNU-AFC coalition of their economic programme and other policies to move Guyana” forward”? Nothing so far.Coming to Moses Nagamootoo’s talk of divorce, is this is an indication that the honeymoon is not going as well as planned. I find it very strange if not interesting that Moses Nagamootoo would talk so early of moving with his 12 seats and bring down a future APNU-AFC government, if he does not get what he wants “if things don’t go well”?“Nothing is cast in stone”…”Nothing could be assured”.Folks I don’t know about you but if I am hearing statements like this so early in this marriage, I would say this marriage is doomed to fail; I would not put too much faith in it.Speaking of AFC moving with its 12 seats in case of disagreement with APNU,Nike Air Max 95 For Sale, what are the legal implications for that action; could AFC even move with their 12 seats? I am going to dwell in the preserve of constitutional lawyers. This will also be uncharted territory. Since I am no lawyer much less a constitutional one, I will discuss it from a layman’s perspective.My view is the Valentine Day “Cummingsburg Accord” is just a gentleman’s agreement,Air Max 97 Buy Online, a “handshake agreement” if you will, not enforceable in law. The other issue is, can Moses cross the floor with his 12 seats? As far as we know, the constitution does not provide for crossing the floor. So let’s say MOSES, and AFC due to disagreements want to team up with the PPP (that will be the day, Moses back to the fold) to bring down a future APNU-AFC government.Can the majority party in this case APNU pre-empt the move by recalling AFC 12 seats? My understanding is the Representative of the List in Parliament or some say the Leader of the List has the power to recall. Right now the Coalition is having a problem agreeing on such a person. The slate or list is due to be submitted to GECOM soon.So this is the crux of the problem for AFC.Can AFC Parliamentarians be replaced whether they are in government or in opposition by the Representative of the List, and could that be influenced by the Leader of the party who in this case will be David Granger?Remember APNU and AFC are going into the elections as one entity, so AFC is not a separate entity for Parliamentary purposes,Wholesale Jerseys China, and if APNU is the majority partner it stands to reason they will control any action to remove AFC 12 seats.Remember it was AFC and Moses Nagamootoo who raised this possibility of ‘moving’ with his 12 seats, not me, so I am asking voters to examine all these possibilities in casting their votes.Now over to the constitutional lawyers to sort out the legal aspects. I think it is only fair for voters to be informed of all those possibilities raised by the AFC.Ralph Seeram can be reached at email: [email protected] and on Face book. |
