…says was done in innocence, not intended to glorify terrorism

CLERK of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, on Tuesday, disclosed that he drafted the motion of sympathy following the passing of former Member of Parliament Abdul Kadir, in keeping with local parliamentary practice.

Breaking his silence on the issue, Isaacs explained that local parliamentary practice dictates that, whenever a former or sitting Member of Parliament dies, the Clerk of the National Assembly is to draft a motion of sympathy. The draft motion, he said, must be sent to the party of the deceased for its assent. “Notice is then given by the party for the motion to be an item on the Order Paper,” Isaacs further explained.

In the case of Kadir, the parliamentary practice was observed, though he died in a US prison while serving a life sentence for plotting to blow up the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

The motion read: “Be it Resolved: That this National Assembly records its deep regret on the death of Mr. Abdul Kadir, on 28th June, 2018, and pays tribute to his dedicated service to the Parliament of Guyana as a Member of Parliament where he served in the Eighth Parliament, from 17th April, 2001 to 2nd May, 2006, and to the people of Guyana:
“Be it further Resolved: That the National Assembly directs that an expression of its sympathy be conveyed to his sorrowing widow, children and relatives.”

The Clerk clarified that the debate on sympathy motions is intended to acknowledge the contributions of the late Members to the Parliament and to the people of Guyana. “It is done with no other intent. It should be further noted that the motion on the death of the late Mr. Kadir was innocently drafted by the Clerk, as has been the convention in circumstances of death of former or sitting Members,” the Clerk stated.

He expressed profound regret for any unintentional offense the course of action may have caused.
The Government, which has been criticised due to the motion, on Monday made it clear that it never intended to honour terrorism in any way when it approved a motion to remember Kadir. Government said it was merely upholding a time-honoured tradition in the house and had no intention of conveying the impression that the motion was designed to honour former MP, Abdul Kadir, convicted of terrorism in the United States.

The United States (US) Embassy has condemned the motion passed in the National Assembly on the grounds that Kadir was a convicted terrorist but the Government has maintained that its action is being interpreted incorrectly. “The Government of Guyana asserts that it had no intention of conveying the impression that the motion was designed to honour a former MP convicted of terrorism in another jurisdiction. The motion recognises the member’s service as a parliamentarian,” the Government said on Monday.

Describing the resolution as “an insensitive and thoughtless act,” the U.S Embassy contended that the motion demonstrates the National Assembly’s disregard for the gravity of Kadir’s actions.

It pointed out that, just recently, U.S. Ambassador, Sarah-Ann Lynch, rated Guyana as “a model to the world on religious tolerance and understanding” at an International Peace Conference but said the resolution draws into question that reputation.

“It also comes on the heels of Guyana’s historic cooperation with the United States on the extradition of an alleged murderer,” and according to the embassy, Members of Parliament have placed the resolution in direct contradiction to the efforts of security cooperation between our two countries. “With this resolution, honoring a convicted terrorist, members of Guyana’s National Assembly have left a stain on their legacy as representatives of the Guyanese people and on their commitment to the rule of law,” the U.S Embassy stated.

But the Government said motion was in keeping with the norms and practice of the Parliament. “It is well known that there is a time-honoured convention of the National Assembly to observe, in a standard and solemn form, the work of former Members who are deceased. The observance of this tradition has never been selective, and has included, over the decades, persons of all political parties and persuasions who served in the National Assembly,” the Government said.

However, it said it regrets the interpretation given to the motion passed in the National Assembly on the death of Kadir as a Member of Parliament. “The Government of Guyana continues to condemn terrorism in the strongest possible way. The Government of Guyana reaffirms its commitment to continue and intensify the fight against terrorism in any form and is proud of its record to date in this regard,” the Government stated.