Dear Editor,

THE Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) has noted that all APNU+AFC coalition government Members of Parliament with dual citizenship have resigned. Currently, only the opposition PPP has Members of Parliament who have dual citizenship, in violation of the law. The PPP Members of Parliament with dual citizenship are Gail Teixeira, Adrian Annamayah and Odinga Lumumba. Consequently, it is the PPP, ironically, that is violating the Constitution and Orders of the Supreme Court and the Guyana Court of Appeal; not the APNU+AFC coalition government.

Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday ostentatiously said on Gordon Moseley’s radio show that PPP Members of Parliament with dual citizenship “will stay away from Parliament, but will not vacate Parliament.” This is unacceptable and unlawful. Guyanese will not allow Bharrat Jagdeo and his fellow PPP law breakers to continue to violate the law with impunity, while hypocritically and brazenly pointing fingers at the government to obfuscate and create smokescreens.

Article 155 (1) (a) of the Constitution and the Orders of the courts are pellucid. They do not say PPP Members of Parliament with dual citizenship must stay away from Parliament, and continue to unlawfully receive a salary and pension. The law and courts expressly prohibit these PPP officials from sitting in Parliament. They are therefore squatters.

In her January 31, 2019 ruling in Compton Reid v Dr. Barton Scotland, Charrandas Persaud, et al, Page 33, Paragraph 82, Chief Justice Roxanne George ruled, inter alia, “I therefore hold that anyone who holds dual citizenship that is a citizen of Guyana and of a foreign power, or State, as envisaged by Art 155 (1)(a) and therefore falls into this category of disqualified persons pursuant to 156(1) (d), should not and cannot be a Member of Parliament. As such the declarations sought in terms of paragraph one and two of the prayers for relief are granted. I therefore hold and declare that the second respondent is not qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly.”

PPP members Gail Teixeira, Adrian Annamayah and Odinga Lumumba are therefore unlawfully squatting in Parliament and are potentially perpetuating fraud by drawing a salary under false pretences. CGID calls on Mr. Jagdeo to explain why these three individuals have not vacated their seats in Parliament and are continuing to act illegally? Why are they still collecting MPs salaries when they are not MPs, and whether they intend to pay back the salaries they unlawfully received. In view of the above, CGID calls on PPP members Gail Teixeira, Adrian Annamayah and Odinga Lumumba to stop squatting in Parliament and resign. Moreover, we call on the Clerk of the National Assembly to stop all illegal payments to these illegal PPP MPs.
Regards,
Rickford Burke
President
Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID)