“BEHIND all of the actions taken, it is the expectation that dialoguing would be an outcome of this period of prorogation and allow parliamentary normalcy to be restored, that is the big picture and that is the intention of President Donald Ramotar when he made the decision to prorogue Parliament.”

Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon gave this explanation as he disclosed that the Head of State over the last two days had met with representatives of the diplomatic corps – meetings in which his intent to prorogue Parliament on Monday was made clear.

DONOR COMMUNITY
He added that members of the donor community were also involved in the meetings and stated that the Government’s plan of action during the period of prorogation, particularly on the issue of dialogue, was discussed.
“We shared mutual concerns, one about the act of prorogation and all parties have conceded and accepted the constitutionality of the President’s act,” Dr. Luncheon said.
He highlighted too that the comments made by politicians from the combined Opposition before and after the move to prorogue Parliament were the basis for the discussions on ‘what ifs’ relative to the way forward for Guyana.
“Where concerns were mooted, it probably had more to do with ‘what if,’” Dr. Luncheon said.
The HPS explained that the ‘what ifs’ related to matters of security, stability of the economy, investments, among other matters. “We have sought to provide a context,” he assured.
Dr. Luncheon contended that were it not for a move to prorogation, the discussion could have been about the next parallel, dissolution of Parliament, whether it was involuntary via the Alliance For Change (AFC) no-confidence motion, or voluntary via President Donald exercise of his constitutional right.
DIALOGUING OUTCOME
Regardless, the HPS reiterated that behind all of the actions taken, it is the expectation that dialoguing would be an outcome during the period of prorogation.
President Ramotar’s proclamation to prorogue Parliament essentially means that the current session, the first session of the 10th Parliament, is suspended up to a maximum of six months – a move that is provided for in Section 70 (1) of Guyana’s Constitution.