THE Alliance for Change (AFC) says it is appalled at the government’s decision to move to the court to challenge the $20.9B cuts to the National Budget 2012 by the combined parliamentary opposition. The party is arguing that the parliamentary system has provisions that allow for areas of the budget to be cut, and questions the government’s move to have the parliament’s decision overturned. These sentiments were expressed during the party’s weekly media conference at the Sidewalk Café in the city yesterday.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, in a statement yesterday, noted that the continued resort to the High Court to question legitimate decisions of the National Assembly points to the grave and gathering danger of a constitutional crisis, which has the potential to assume proportions, the likes of which the nation has never seen, and may be unable to handle.
He quoted Article 51 of the Constitution of Guyana which states that “There shall be a Parliament of Guyana, which shall consist of the President and the National Assembly”.
The statement adds that is pellucid that the various branches of government were meant to work in consonance, and not in conflict, with each other. He opined that the challenges are as unnatural and unhealthy as they are unconstitutional, and will weaken the already fragile fabric of our constitutional democracy.
The speaker said he is confident that a properly constituted, informed, and unfettered Constitutional Court will strike down the requests of the Claimant, the Hon. Attorney General.
According to the statement, because of the supremacy of the rule of law, there will be no comments on the merits or demerits of individual allegations and statements made, and suffice to say that the latest action will have to be stoutly defended as this must be seen as the constitutional and public duty of every Member of Parliament.
While the matter unfolds, and without prejudice to its outcome, the constituent parties of the National Assembly are urged to meet, speak and sort out the issues that continue to beset the 10th Parliament.
According to an application for the conservatory order filed by the government on Monday, apart from a power of approval and disapproval, no other power as it relates to the Annual Estimates is reposed in the National Assembly.
The document stated further that the motions moved by the opposition to reduce the GUY$192.8B Estimates “amounted not only to an arrogation of powers which the Constitution does not confer upon them, but was also a usurpation of a function which the Constitution exclusively resides in the Executive, thereby, abrogating the doctrine of separation of powers.”
It names Speaker of the National Assembly, Raphael Trotman, Leader of the Opposition, David Granger and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh as the defendants. In the case of the last, it s asking the court to allow him to restore funds to the affected agencies.