President Donald Ramotar’s statement that he has not yet seen the two opposition-sponsored bills passed by the National Assembly despite the fact that they were sent to his office over two months ago does not protect him from the requirements of the law, APNU spokesman on Finance Carl Greenidge has said.
“He needs to do what he is required to do,” Greenidge told Stabroek News yesterday. He said that he would not like to question the integrity of the President but Ramotar should make note of the correspondence from the Clerk and Speaker of the National Assembly that the Bills were sent to the Office of the President. “If his office decides not to pass him the mail, it does not protect him from the requirement of the law,” Greenidge said.
During a press conference on Friday, Ramotar said that he had not seen the Bills. “I haven’t seen the bills… I haven’t seen any of the bills,” the President said. Greenidge had previously told Stabroek News that Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs had written him on March 7 informing him that both bills were submitted to the Office of the President on February 25 for the President’s consideration.
The two pieces of legislation are the Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Bill and the Former Presidents (Benefits and Other Facilities) Bill 2012 and both were drafted by APNU with the combined opposition using its one-seat majority to pass them, with strong objections by the ruling party.
Article 170 (2) of the Constitution requires that the President, who is part of Parliament, assent to bills presented to him following passage in the National Assembly. This article also states that where the President withholds his assent, he must return the bill to the Speaker within 21 days with a message stating the reason(s) for withholding his assent. This deadline has passed and Speaker of the National Assembly Raphael Trotman, Greenidge, and AFC leader Khemraj Ramjattan, have expressed concern.
Yesterday, Greenidge said that Ramotar’s response is not satisfactory. He pointed out that there is a protocol that is followed and this was outlined and he would not imagine that the Speaker and Clerk would not tell him the truth. “That is inconceivable,” he said adding that the President must do what he is required to do.
Ramotar was asked whether he would assent to the bills when they arrive on his desk and he responded that he would have to examine them and then make up his mind what to do with them. “The question doesn’t arise because I haven’t seen those bills. They’re not on my desk,” he added. The President had previously said that he would not sign bills passed without input from his government and pressed about this and whether he had a change of heart, he responded that “I haven’t seen any of the bills that you’re talking about.”
The President was also asked about the fact that the bills were sent to his office since February 25 and over two months later, they had not reached his desk. In response, he referred to the length of time it could take for government bills to reach his desk. “It takes time because I think what they do, they go it through with a fine toothcomb and so forth. So I don’t know if it is extra long, maybe you could ask the Attorney-General’s office or the office of our governance [about the issue] but what I can tell you with full knowledge of, it has not reached my desk, I haven’t seen it,” he said.
Attorney-General Anil Nandlall had previously told Stabroek News to contact the Office of the President in relation to the Bills.
Trotman last week told Stabroek News that he will engage OP on the bills once the National Budget was passed. The budget was passed on Wednesday.
