What constitutes a constitutional crisis?

Dear Editor,

The issue of a constitutional crisis is being hurled around by political leaders without a comprehensive, detailed fleshed-out position and meaning. 

Does it mean that the GWI and GPL will not serve the people? Does constitutional crisis mean the markets will close and food security will become an issue? Does it mean schools and post-secondary institutions and UG will stop educating the nation’s mind? What is this meaning ascribed to constitutional crisis, or is it another political gimmick to add phobia to the populace?

The ordinary people of our nation are not interested in fancy terms without prudent meaning; we do not want passages in our newspapers and our radio frequencies and television transmissions to be punctuated with loose irresponsible terms.

Again, I beg to seek clarity, what is a constitutional crisis? I have heard my political cronies using the phrase, but, is it that Guyana’s sovereignty will be denounced? Is it that the banks will not lend their monies to us?

Will a constitutional crisis stop the GRA from deducting PAYE? Will it stop the fire service from responding to a conflagration? Will our health care system close doors? Will public servants be sent home?

What is a constitutional crisis? What impacts will the ordinary people of Guyana be faced with? Please, political scientists, do not throw around words.

Allow me the space to define it. A constitutional crisis is a situation which a legal system, Constitution or basic principles of operations, appears unable to resolve.

I do not believe Guyana is within the aforementioned circumstances. Let’s saliently seek to bring clarity to the dead case of a constitutional crisis. Moreover, in respect to the misuse of the phrase in relation to impending elections and the no-confidence vote. The Constitution of Guyana indefatigably outlines a solution.

Rather, what we have seen is political rebellion from our politicians which wears a veil called constitutional crisis but, rather, it is just pure political gimmicks.

Guyanese have grown to not be gullible and we have become increasingly Socratic.

Yours faithfully,

Dornel McFarlane