President reiterates Gov’t’s readiness to deal with no-confidence motion

PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar last Saturday commented on the endorsement by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) of the Alliance For Change’s (AFC) consideration of moving a no-confidence motion against his Administration.And he made it clear that the combined Opposition can ‘bring it’ if that is the decision that the parties arrive at.
“If the Opposition wants to bring a no-confidence motion I cannot stop them from bringing a no-confidence motion, but I will be ready to deal with the consequences of that,” he said at a news conference at State House.
The Head of State reiterated that his Government will not be threatened by talks of a no-confidence motion.
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Mr. Ramotar also indicated that his Government is ready to call general elections if such a motion is passed.
This is not the first time the President has hinted at the possibility of an early return to the polls, as a means to address the political gridlock that has gripped the nation since the 2011 general elections, which gave the ruling party, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) the Government, but also resulted in a majority in the National Assembly for the combined Opposition, the AFC and APNU.
Mr. Ramotar earlier this month at a press conference at State House made it clear that his administration is not opposed to calling either the general elections nor the local government elections, adding that issuing the commencement order for these processes could be based on the impacts of the ruling by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Section 106 (6) of the Constitution states that: “The Cabinet and President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of the majority of all Members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.”
However, the following paragraph, Section 106 (7) makes clear that: “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution, supported by no less than two-thirds of all elected members of the National Assembly, and shall resign after a new President takes the oath of office following the election.”

(Vanessa Narine)