Government’s statement that it will be business as usual despite Chief Justice Roxane George’s ruling on Thursday that the Cabinet had automatically resigned on December 21, constitutes a gross act of defiance, according to former Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran
Noting that the Chief Justice ruled that the no confidence motion was lawfully passed in the National Assembly by a 33-32 vote, and that the vote of Charrandass Persaud was lawful, Ramkarran, writing in his column in yesterday’s Sunday Stabroek, said that the Chief Justice granted neither a stay of execution nor a conservatory order which would have preserved the status quo ante. However, he noted that the Government announced that the status quo remained and Government business will be conducted as usual.
“This statement, disrespectful and defiant of the Chief Justice’s ruling, presumably means that the Cabinet will continue to meet and function and take decisions affecting the governance of Guyana, even though it is unlawful to do so. In effect, the Government’s functions must be limited to the implementation of existing decisions as no new ones can be made by the non-existent Cabinet. The statement also means that those Members of the National Assembly who hold dual citizenship will continue to occupy their seats even though the effect of the Chief Justice’s ruling in relation to Charrandass Persaud’s means that their membership is unlawful. Such bold, brazen and open defiance of lawful authority, of the Constitution, and of the rule of law by a Government has never been seen in Guyana after the Burnham era, or in the Commonwealth Caribbean, or in any democratic country for that matter”, the two-term former Speaker stated.
