THERE is “overwhelming” support for the decision taken by President Donald Ramotar to prorogue Parliament following the attempt by the political Opposition to advance a ‘Confidence’ motion against the current Administration.

This was the sentiment expressed by People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary, Clement Rohee, who added that this conclusion was arrived at following several community meetings and outreaches done by the Party.

“Party supporters condemned the role played by the AFC in collaborating with the APNU to destabilise the PPP/C Administration, and their combined efforts to slow down the pace of economic and social progress,” Rohee said at the PPP’s weekly press conference held yesterday at Freedom House on Robb Street.

ABUSE OF ONE-SEAT MAJORITY
Addressing the disposition of the combined Opposition prior to the President’s decision to prorogue Parliament, Rohee made it clear that Guyanese are not unaware of the fact that the combined Opposition has abused its one-seat majority in the National Assembly.

“The Guyanese people are politically enlightened….(they are aware of) the obvious abuse of the National Assembly by the one-seat majority of the combined Opposition to settle personal scores and stymie the developmental thrust of Guyana,” Rohee said.

He contends that APNU and AFC have together shot down all the major transformational projects, such as the Modern Airport, Amaila Falls Hydropower Project, and the Specialty Hospital, among others.

“(These are) projects that would have created thousands of jobs for young people due to the much improved education system under the PPP/C,” the PPP General Secretary said.

DIALOGUE INTENDED
Given the posture of the APNU and AFC, President Ramotar has always maintained that the need for dialogue was uppermost in his mind when he made his decision to Prorogue Parliament on November 10. Paving the way for greater dialogue among political parties, Rohee contends, would have kept the 10th Parliament alive to address critically important issues currently before the House.

The effect of ending the first session of the 10th Parliament by way of prorogation is the suspension of the business of the National Assembly. As a result of that move, the Alliance For Change (AFC) sponsored ‘No-Confidence’ motion was not considered. A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) had, prior to November 10, signalled its intention to support the motion.

Had it not been for the proclamation to prorogue Parliament, if the no-confidence motion had been approved by the political Opposition, Guyana would have been headed to early general elections within three months.
However, President Ramotar has made it clear that if these efforts prove futile, there will be a move to early general elections.

Since the prorogation, APNU and the AFC have made it clear that they will not engage the President in talks unless the prorogation is lifted and Parliamentary work resumes. The rejection of talks was also formally communicated by APNU Leader Brigadier (rtd) David Granger in a December 2 letter responding to the President’s November 18 invitation for talks.

The most recent contention of the current Administration following these positions is that the prorogation objectives have been lost. Consequently, President Ramotar has since indicated that Guyana will head to early general and regional elections, just over three years since the November 2011 polls.