The AFC has agreed to some amendments proposed by the Speaker of the National Assembly to a motion calling on Member of Parliament and Minister of Local Government Kellawan Lall to explain his conduct in a rum shop fracas on November 18, 2008.

AFC Leader Raphael Trotman who proposed the motion told Stabroek News that the party had agreed to the amendments and the motion would give the National Assembly the opportunity to deal with the issue, one way or another.

He could not, however, say when the motion would come up since there has been no notice of another sitting.

Speaker Ralph Ramkarran had told this newspaper that he made the amendments because of the language used in the motion. He had said that he had informed Trotman of the amendments, out of courtesy, even though he had the authority to make any necessary amendments.

Trotman’s original motion had called on Lall to explain his conduct in a rum shop brawl involving a teenager and a shooting incident on November, 17, 2007, or, alternatively that the National Assembly should state its displeasure with his conduct in the absence of a satisfactory explanation.

Effectively, Trotman said that the amendment deletes the second part of the motion which is calling on the National Assembly “to state its displeasure with the member’s (Lall’s) conduct” in the absence of a sufficient and satisfactory explanation. The amended motion now calls on Lall to explain his conduct in the rum shop fracas.

Lall was allegedly involved in the incident with a teenager whom he reportedly assaulted after which he discharged his weapon. The teenager has told this newspaper that they have agreed not to pursue the matter of his assault and Lall, who admitted to firing one shot, had since surrendered his weapon. The matter of Lall firing his weapon is still before the Director of Public Prosecutions more than two months after the incident occurred.

The motion was forwarded to Parliament Office on December 14, 2007.

The PPP has already said that it has reprimanded Lall over his behaviour. President Bharrat Jagdeo has thus far not taken any action against Lall.