Trotman will resign if charged

“I will do what is right and in the interest of Guyana if and when that time comes,” the Speaker of the National Assembly and co-founder of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Mr. Raphael Trotman assured yesterday.
His comments were made during a press conference hosted by the AFC, following the sexual abuse allegations, which were levelled against him by 22-year-old Johnny Welchman Jr. The Speaker of the National Assembly, since the allegations were made, has been most empathic in his denial of claims that he sexually assaulted the young man in question. The allegation was first made public via an entry on the popular social media site, Facebook.
There are active investigations and civil proceedings related to the matter which are ongoing.
“I am a patriot. I love my country. I love that I can serve Guyana as Speaker, but I will do nothing that will injure the reputation of the National Assembly or to interfere or impede the business of the house…anything that will detract from the work of the House, I will not be a part of it,” he told reporters at the press conference, which was held at the Georgetown Club.
Trotman explained that his decision not to resign on being faced with the “malicious” allegations is based on “precedent” and advice.
“We have looked at precedent from a country that is considered to be the holy grail of parliamentary democracy, which is the British House of Commons,” he said, referring to a similar case involving Deputy Speaker of the British House Of Commons, Mr. Nigel Evans.
Evans, last September, stepped down as deputy speaker in order to “robustly” defend himself against charges of sexual offences against seven men, including one count of rape. In April this year, he was cleared of rape and sexual assault.
Trotman said: “Up until the point where charges were not filed against him, he was allowed to remain…we are a member of the body known as the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and so have been seeking guidance and doing what is consistent with the norms and practices within the Commonwealth in a matter like this.”
“Otherwise, it would mean that if a person made an allegation against the Chief Justice or the Chancellor, or heaven forbid, against the President himself that they had been assaulted in his office and the police receives a report; would it mean or should it mean that the president needs to demit office immediately, certainly not.”
The Speaker reiterated his denial of the allegations, assuring that he has never done and will never do anything to hurt a child, whether male or female.
“I have never in my life committed any act of a sexual nature that is illegal. I have never molested any child male or female. I have never, even as counsel, represented a person charged with a similar offence because of my abhorrence of matters of this nature,” he said, in an impassioned manner.

QUESTION OF POLITICAL PLAYS
Meanwhile, AFC Executive member, Mr. Moses Nagamootoo, stated that the allegations are an attempt to manipulate the consideration of the no-confidence motion when the National Assembly comes out of recess on October 10.
He said, “The interpretation of the intention of the attack against Trotman is seen in the calls already being made to him to resign. This concoction or allegation against the Speaker was intended to rile the Speaker up.
…the intention is clear. It is to derail the no-confidence motion, to create a parliamentary crisis. If you don’t have a speaker you have an uncertainty as to where and how the motion will be discussed.”
This sentiment was first expressed by AFC when the allegations levelled against Trotman were first made public.
However, Prime Minister and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Samuel Hinds, has rejected this assertion that the current administration is employing delaying tactics ahead of the debate on the much-talked-about no-confidence motion.
“I expect that when Parliament resumes the motion will be on the Order Paper and then we shall see where things go from there,” he said.
The Alliance For Change’s (AFC) no-confidence motion was submitted to the Clerk of the National Assembly at the beginning of August. The first inkling the public had that the AFC had planned moving a no-confidence motion against the Government was way back in mid-June, when party Vice-Chairman, Mr Moses Nagamootoo, hinted at it.
He did so by way of an article published in the Stabroek News and headlined: “AFC considering no-confidence motion against Gov’t.” He, however, acknowledged that to do so would require the support of the main Opposition party, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
The AFC finally got its wish on Tuesday, August 5, when APNU Leader, Brigadier (rtd.) David Granger publicly confirmed that his party was fully behind the no-confidence motion.

(By Vanessa Narine)