PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar contends that any decision related to the no-confidence motion submitted to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs, by the Alliance For Change (AFC), will be made at the “appropriate” time. 

“The question of the no-confidence motion that is ahead of us, you know, I like to make decisions when the time has come for me to make decisions, and that time has not reached for me as yet to decide; if I should wait for a no-confidence vote, or if I should call the election myself. So, that time hasn’t yet approached. And who knows, everything changes in life, and politics even faster. I will make my decision when I think it is appropriate to do so,” he said on Friday at a press conference held at the Office of the President.
The notion of a no-confidence motion was first voiced by the AFC’s Vice Chairman, Moses Nagamootoo, in mid-June. Nagamootoo had indicated that the party was considering the movement of a no-confidence motion against the Government. Nagamootoo, in an article published in the Stabroek News, under the headline ‘AFC considering no-confidence motion against Gov’t’, said such a move is seriously being contemplated by his party. However, he acknowledged that a no-confidence motion would have to be supported by the main Opposition. Last Friday, APNU endorsed this possibility as a serious consideration. The Opposition Leader Brigadier (rtd.) David Granger subsequently confirmed APNU’s support for the AFC’s no-confidence motion against the Government.
The first page of the no-confidence motion reads: “Be it resolved that this National Assembly has no confidence in the Government.”
According to the President, there are many factors to consider before a decision on the way forward can be made relative to the no-confidence motion.
“It is not one thing I will have to wait on. In politics there are many things, and many, many factors that have to be considered. Of course, that is an important aspect,” he said.
The President stated too that his administration has never been opposed to talks with the Combined Opposition on the way forward, pointing out that the “ball is in their” court.
He said: “The Opposition put this motion in the National Assembly. We have never been adverse to any talks. We have never closed the doors on any talks. Really, the ball is completely in the court of the Opposition.”
“It is not we who brought the no-confidence motion… if they want to talk, we are never averse to speaking, in fact we encourage it, we believe that discussion and dialogue is better.”
The President was clear in highlighting that the Opposition has a constitutional right to bring a no-confidence motion, as they have done.
“We are ready to face the consequences of these things, so that’s all I would say at this time.”
If snap elections are not called before a debate on the no-confidence motion, the current administration is expected to be disbanded in preparation for a return to the polls.
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.”
The Head of State also addressed the readiness of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to host either a general or local government election and pointed out that the Commission could “very well be more ready” for the former.
“With a local government election there is a different procedure that has to be going through with local government election. With local government elections they have to create boundaries and all of that. The last time I had a discussion with an official from the elections commission, they were telling me that whenever the Government or the administration wants to announce the date for local government elections, they need six months to, but I don’t think the same thing would apply to a national election,” President Ramotar said.
The President was emphatic in stressing that the ruling party is not a seasonal political party, but one that continuously engages the Guyanese people.
“We have never stopped reaching out to people. From the time the party was formed, we have always been among the people. So yes, we would like to continue to work. It is every single day that we are among the people. Its every single day we are working among the people. Whether it is election time or not election time, the PPP is not a seasonal party…. so we are always among the people. That is not an issue for us,” he concluded.
The last general elections in Guyana were held in November 2011.

(By Ravin Singh)