MEMBERS of Parliament (MPs) meet today in what is expected to be a rousing sitting of the National Assembly.

And while there are several critical pieces of Government business on the agenda, the Alliance For Change (AFC) sponsored no-confidence motion, supported by A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), is likely to be pushed through by the combined Opposition.
BASIS OF CONTROVERSY
The motion was filed with the Clerk of the National Assembly after the tabling of a $4.6B financial paper, which restored monies cut from the 2014 Budget.
The said financial paper, No. 1/2014, a Statement of Excess (Current and Capital Estimates), totalling $4.6M for the period ended 16th June, 2014 is included on the agenda of items to be considered.
The paper was the first in, of what was expected to be a series of papers, to be brought before Parliament in a move to restore important funds cut from the $220B budget for 2014.
Included in the $4.6B was the full return of $6.1B to the Office of the President. The allocation, for current expenditures, included monies for the Government Information Agency (GINA) and the National Communications Network (NCN).
Also $450M was returned to the President’s Office for capital expenditures under the Administrative Services category.
A portion of the capital expenditures under the Ministry of Finance’s policy and administration was also returned and includes $424M for the Low Carbon Development programmes, $225M for the University of Guyana’s student loan funds and $67M for the Guyana Revenue Authority.
The Amerindian Development Fund, $303M, was also returned to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, as was $359.8M for the Cheddi Jagan International Airport’s (CJIA) project.
The move to table the financial paper in the National Assembly was based on a reliance on the Constitutional grounds and rulings of the Court to initiate an exercise to restore funds voted down by the combined Opposition in the National Assembly.
The hullaballoo over the financial paper has been questioned in several quarters, particularly since the tabling of the paper is nothing different from what was done in 2012 and 2013 – actions that were supported by both AFC and APNU.
No less than President Donald Ramotar has defended the legality of the restorations.
In a prior interview, he said, “There is much distortion taking place in the media…all we do is Constitutional…it is totally within the Constitution. Everything we do, we do within the Constitution…the Constitution has given us the right to take these matters to the National Assembly
“…why are they (APNU and AFC) plugging this line of it being unconstitutional, when they themselves participated in the same process in 2012 and 2013? They did not see it as unconstitutional then. Why are they branding it unconstitutional now?”
ONE-LINE MOTION
The no-confidence motion, brought in the name of AFC MP, Mr. Moses Nagamootoo, reads, “Be it resolved that this National Assembly has no confidence in the Government.” It was seconded by AFC Executive Member and Member of Parliament (MP) Mrs. Cathy Hughes.
As stated in Section 106 (6) of the Constitution: “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.” This is made even clearer in Section 106 (7), which states: “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, (approve); and shall resign after a new President takes the oath of office following the election.”
The first inkling the public had that the AFC planned moving a no-confidence motion against the Government was 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, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
The AFC’s position was strengthened on Tuesday, August 5, when APNU Leader Brigadier (rtd.) David Granger publicly confirmed that his party was fully behind the no-confidence motion.
OTHER MATTERS
The Education Bill 2014, Land Surveyors Bill 2014 and the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2014 are up for a second reading.
Among the Bills scheduled for a first reading are the: Food Safety Bill 2014 and the Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third Party Risks) (Amendment) Bill 2014.
Some 19 oral questions, without notice, are on the agenda related to several issues, including: expenditure incurred by the Office of the President; advances made from the contingencies fund; the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry; the University of Guyana student loan fund; work permits issued to foreign nationals; land allocation to private home developers and the public-private turnkey initiative, among others.
Several reports are also expected to be laid in the House today, including the report of the Auditor General to the National Assembly on the Public Accounts of Guyana and on the Accounts of Ministries, Departments and Regions for the fiscal year ended 31st December, 2013; the Mid-Year report on the economic performance of the country; the Annual Report of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission for the year 2013; the Annual Report of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission for the year 2013; the Annual Report of the Guyana Gold Board for the year 2012; the Annual Report of the Environmental Protection Agency for the year 2013; the Annual Reports of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission for the years 2004 and 2006; the Annual Report of the Guyana Forestry Commission for the year 2013; and the Audited Financial Statements of the Environmental Protection Agency for the years ended 31st December, 2012 and 2013, among others.
In addition the seventh report of the Committee on Appointments in relation to the Appointment of Members of the Women and Gender Equality Commission is to be laid in the House.
The appointment of members for the Rights of the Child Commission (ROC) and the Women and Gender Equality Commission is also on the agenda for consideration.
The House has not met since it came out of recess on October 10 and prior to going into its annual two-month recess on August 10, there had been no sitting since July 10. However, as confirmed by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Sherlock Isaacs, a sitting in November is not unusual, rather is common, if one were to look at the post-recess sittings in previous years.