Speaker Raphael Trotman should convene the National Assembly as soon as possible, according to his predecessor Ralph Ramkarran, who says every day that goes by without a sitting amounts to a violation of the parliamentary rules.
Writing in his latest Conversation Tree column, published on his blog and in today’s Sunday Stabroek, the former Speaker bases his conclusion on the rule that the National Assembly is adjourned to the “next sitting day” when no date is named upon its adjournment and the fact that there is no procedure to reconvene outlined in the Standing Orders (SOs).
“…the Speaker was obliged to have convened the National Assembly on October 11 [the day after the parliamentary recess ended], pursuant to the authority of S.O 8(1),” Ramkarran writes.
“Having failed to do so, he should lose no further time and should convene the National Assembly at the earliest possible opportunity… Every day that goes by without a sitting of the National Assembly constitutes a violation of the Standing Orders. This is a matter, simple as it might appear, that is fundamental to our parliamentary democracy. There should be no dispute
