…admits party ‘dropped the ball’ on no-confidence motion

LEADER of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Raphael Trotman on Thursday admitted that the AFC had dropped the ball in treating with the no-confidence motion, but gave assurance that though the party may have erred in its leadership, they are ready to regroup, rebuild and come out stronger than before.

“We ‘dropped the ball’ by not treating this seriously enough, and by failing to recognise that one of our own could vote in favour of the motion,” Trotman said on Thursday as he broke his silence since one of his AFC Members of Parliament, Charrandas Persaud, broke ranks and voted in favour of an opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion on December 21 to bring down the APNU+AFC Government.

Though reports indicate that key government officials had been tipped that Persaud was compromised long before the motion was put to a vote, Trotman indirectly refuted the claims, stating that events that unfolded on December 21 have left the alliance shocked and hurt.

MONSTROUS PLOT
“It is clear the manner in which the monstrous plot was unleashed was intended to cause maximum damage to the government.
“For the AFC, this is a double blow because the government is now threatened, and the attack came from within the ranks of the AFC. This attack was well planned, timed and executed. So let us not believe that what happened was conceived and executed in a few days or weeks,” he said.

As leader of the AFC, Trotman said he stands committed to shoulder the responsibility for some of the outcomes, but will not accept that he is responsible for what happened because of his response to statements made by Volda Lawrence, the Public Health Minister.
Persaud, moments after his controversial vote in the National Assembly, criticised Trotman over his decision to defend the Public Health Minister and Chairman of the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNCR) when she found herself in hot water over statements that suggested that she has a policy of hiring only PNCR supporters.

In his defence, Trotman said he usually sees the good in people.
“It is in my personality to always see the good in people and to accept that good people can say, and do silly and hurtful things. During my political career I have defended Khemraj Ramjattan, our chairman, when he was a member of the PPP and called on the PNC to apologise for aspects of its administration, and more recently, released Mr. Rohee from the restriction of speaking in the National Assembly, to name a few. All of these defences of people from other parties saw me viciously attacked; and I remind myself that I look for the good in people and not demonise them for mistakes made when I know them differently,” he explained.

WAKE UP CALL
Nonetheless, he said the no-confidence motion was a wake-up call for the coalition government even before it was put to a vote. “The vote has made the concerns of the people even more acute. The AFC and government have recognised this as a significant political indicator and it will not be business as usual. We have made a commitment to listen, to accept that we have erred, and seek to change, whilst providing leadership,” the AFC leader said.

While the no-confidence motion was passed with 33 Members of Parliament supporting it, Trotman acknowledged that there is a strong and compelling argument that it requires 34 votes to see the resignation of the government.

Legal luminaries have argued that the number of votes which carried the motion is inadequate. With one-half of the House mathematically equalling 32.5 members, half of the House would therefore be 33 members, thereby suggesting that a total of 34 votes would be needed to secure the majority in a 65-member National Assembly.

In one of the most recent and similar cases this month, UK Prime Minister Theresa May won the confidence vote pertaining to her leadership, after it was challenged by a number of Conservative Members of Parliament. However, prior to the vote, international news agencies had widely reported that May needed “at least 159 out of 315 Conservative MPs” to win by a simple majority.

Similar to Guyana’s uneven number of 65 sitting members of the National Assembly, when the UK’s 315 total is divided, it arrives at 157.5 members. This figure was rounded off to158, as what represents half of the total number of members while an extra vote [159] would represent a majority. Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes said the Speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Barton Scotland may be asked to revisit his interpretation when the House is reconvened on January 3, 2018.

Trotman said too that there is also a strong argument that in order to bring a successful “No-Confidence Motion” the lists proposing the motion must first have an electoral majority of its own and not depend on anyone crossing the floor, as this practice is not allowed in parliamentary rules.

“It is for the Speaker or the High Court, ultimately, to decide. It would be irresponsible of the AFC to ignore or deny these views when the “consequences” of the vote, as the Speaker described them, are being considered,” Trotman said.

According to him, the next few days and weeks are going to be testing for citizens, and members of the AFC. “I have taken full responsibility to lead our efforts to regroup and rebuild. Let us join hands. We have to remain strong. Securing ourselves from any further slippage,” he said, while noting that the alliance has matured and grown stronger with each year since its formation in 2005.

He strongly believes that the coalition partners will overcome this obstacle once they remain committed to each other, draw on their strengths, and work to address the valid concerns of members and supporters.