– says Clerk of Parliament
THE prolonged absence of Deputy Speaker Deborah Backer from the National Assembly, has equated the Opposition and Government’s voting power in the House.
Recent reports in the media have quoted A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) insiders as indicating that medical doctor Karen Cummings is among persons being considered to fill the vacancy.However, Clerk of Parliament Sherlock Isaacs, told the Guyana Chronicle yesterday that Backer has to either resign as a Member of Parliament (MP) or have her seat declared vacant by Opposition Leader David Granger, before a replacement can be named.
“The replacement will be taken from the list of party members that was submitted on Nomination Day,” he said.
According to him: “The parties in the House will nominate persons for the post and the vote can be taken either before or after the Opposition fills the seat,” Isaacs said.
The House had, unanimously, voted Government MP Bibi Shaddick as the Deputy Speaker for the January 23 sitting only.
UNCONFIRMED ILLNESS
Backer, the front-bencher for APNU, has been absent from the proceedings in the National Assembly due to a still unconfirmed illness and went to access medical care outside Guyana at least twice in the last month.
In early January, she was flown to Florida in the United States (U.S.) for tests and APNU Leader Granger, in media reports, had expressed his hope for Backer’s speedy recovery.
She was first treated at a private hospital in Georgetown after falling ill.
On the Order Paper for the last Parliament sitting, Backer was slated to move a motion for the second reading of the Married Persons (Property) (Amendment) Bill 2013, which would amend the principal Married Persons (Property) Act.
In addition to being Deputy Speaker, Backer is also her party’s Foreign Affairs Shadow Minister.
Written By Vanessa Narine