PARLIAMENT will today consider seven bills which are up for their second reading. Those bills are the Local Authorities (Elections) (Amendment) Bill 2013; Wildlife Import and Export Bill 2013; Guyana Cricket Administration Bill 2012; Land Surveyors (Profession) Bill 2013; Summary Jurisdiction (Procedure) (Amendment) Bill 2013; Evidence (Amendment) Bill 2013, and Firearms (Amendment) Bill 2013.The latter three bills were reintroduced by Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall.

The bills had been the issue of controversy after they were first presented by Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee and rejected by the Opposition, who moved a no-confidence motion against Minister Rohee.

Asked in a prior interview if a challenge in Opposition support was anticipated, Minister Rohee had noted that while he may be required to speak on the bills, they were tabled in the AG’s name, and the joint Opposition should not have a problem with the AG speaking in the House.

He said, “The bills are not in my name, and the Opposition has said that they will not support any bill in my name… If need be, I will support it… It is quite possible (that he may speak on the bills).”
According to Nandlall, given that the contention of the Opposition does not reflect opposition to him speaking on bills not in his name, the question at hand is whether or not they would support the bills tabled in the AG’s name.

Following the Opposition no confidence motion, Speaker Raphael Trotman had ruled that Minister Rohee would be allowed to participate fully in the business of the National Assembly, and be unhindered in the execution of his rights, both as an elected Member of Parliament and as the individual designated by the President to be the Home Affairs Minister.

Trotman had said: “It is my considered opinion that refusing the right to a minister to address the House is tantamount to refusing the President the right to speak in the House — a very unconstitutional and untenable situation”.

However, in his ruling, Trotman acknowledged that the National Assembly could refuse to listen if the minister chose to speak; but Rohee was constitutionally given the right to address the National Assembly in his capacity as Home Affairs Minister.

The AG pointed out subsequently that nothing in Guyana’s Constitution permits its Parliament to remove an appointed Cabinet Minister.

The National Assembly would also, for the first time, consider the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2013; and the Deeds Registry (Amendment) Bill 2012 for the third time, as well as several motions, one of which is the reduction of tolls charged by the Berbice Bridge.
Written By Vanessa Narine