Dear Editor
IN calling for the ouster of Prime Minister Nagamootoo from the National Assembly on the grounds that he is performing the functions of President, the opposition PPP relied on Article 178 (4) of the Guyana Constitution.

Article 178 (4) states that “During any period when a Minister is performing the functions of the office of the President… his or her seat in the National Assembly shall be regarded as vacant…”
I want the PPP to tell the Guyanese people on what occasions, if any, during the 20-odd years that Mr. Sam Hinds was prime minister and he had acted on behalf of the President, has he either vacated his seat, or his seat was considered vacant, in the National Assembly?

It would be easy for the PPP to produce the records, but I suspect that there is none. This strengthens the arguments by both Senior Counsel and former Speaker Mr. Ralph Ramkarran and his son Kamal, who is President of the Guyana Bar Association, that Article 178 (4) does not apply to the prime minister. It becomes clear that the PPP wants to destabilise Parliament and to create a constitutional crisis in Guyana. I hope that the international community and the internal security forces are taking note.

Regards
Earl Hamilton