Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo is not making an issue of President David Granger’s chairmanship of Cabinet meetings, while noting that contrary to what is stipulated in the Cummingsburg Accord the duty belongs to the President.
The Accord, which formed the basis for the pre-election alliance of APNU and the AFC, had provided that the Prime Minister would chair Cabinet meetings.
However, President Granger has so far chaired all Cabinet meetings and when questioned Nagamootoo on Monday noted that the constitution states that the president performs the task.
Article 106(3) of the Constitution states that the President shall preside over Cabinet meetings although it also sets out that the Prime Minister shall do so in his absence.
Despite concerns being voiced that the key stipulation of the Accord is being breached, Nagamootoo like AFC Leader Khemraj Ramjattan played down the issue.
“I am not a negotiator. I didn’t negotiate the Cummingsburg Accord,” Nagamootoo said, when it was pointed out that it was stipulated in the Accord that the Prime Minister would chair the Cabinet meetings.
“It is not an issue that upsets me personally,” he noted.
“Because I think we are working as a team and while the President is in the country and the President has something to speak to the Cabinet then one wouldn’t expect the President to just move away into a side room,” he further said.
“We have an active President and we have to make this Accord work, make the coalition work, and for me the things that are minor irritants I would not elevate to any importance,” he added.
Last week, when asked about the issue Ramjattan had indicated he was certain that it would be worked out and that the Accord is going to be adhered to. He also stated that last week was the first official meeting and President Granger as Head of State would have had to address the ministers and he for one wanted to hear from him.
“We want this coalition to work. We know how fragile coalitions can be and we know how people out there who do not like the coalition will want to prick us with these little sensitive matters, so that they can literally take us over the brink,” he had told this newspaper.
Ramjattan also told Stabroek News that Chairman of the AFC Nigel Hughes had been tasked by his party with leading negotiations to ensure adherence to the Accord.
The Accord also provides that the president shall, among other things, delegate the responsibilities of domestic national affairs and the chairing of Cabinet. Other responsibilities delegated to the Prime Minister should have included recommending ministerial appointments and providing the organisational structures of ministries for the approval of the president; appointments of the heads of agencies and non-constitutional commissions with the required and agreed democratic mechanisms of consultation; and domestic security (Home Affairs).
It is not clear whether these duties are being performed by the Prime Minister.
The parties had also agreed that cabinet positions would be allocated on a 60/40 basis between APNU and the AFC, respectively.
