–following confirmation of her resignation
THE resignation of the National Assembly’s Deputy Speaker, Deborah Backer, was confirmed Friday by Leader of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), David Granger, thereby leaving the post open for nominations.
The National Assembly meets today, and nominations for a new Deputy Speaker are possible, before Granger officially declares Backer’s seat in the House vacant.This was according to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, in a recent interview with the Guyana Chronicle.
“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 unanimously voted in Government Member of Parliament (MP), Bibi Shaddick, as the Deputy Speaker for the January 23 sitting only.
Backer, the front-bencher for A Partnership for National Unity has been absent from the National Assembly proceedings due to a still unconfirmed illness and has had to access medical care outside of Guyana at least twice in the last month.
Backer, in early January, was flown to Florida, USA for tests and APNU Leader, David Granger, in media reports had expressed his hopes for Backer’s speedy recovery.
The MP was first treated at a private hospital in Georgetown after falling ill.
In addition to being Deputy Speaker, Backer is also her party’s Foreign Affairs Shadow Minister.
The MP’s resignation took effect on Friday, February 7.
Written By Vanessa Narine