Conversation Tree

If elections are not held on or before September 18, as appears likely, the Government will fall over a constitutional precipice that it is fast approaching.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ruled that the Guyana National Assembly “properly passed” a no-confidence motion (NCM) against the Government on December 21.

Grumbles of dissatisfaction were heard from the PPP/C Government when the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruled against the Government and in favour of Trinidad Cement Limited (TCL) in 2009.

At the last two hearings of the cases before the CCJ, the clear preference was expressed by the Court for a political resolution of the NCM (no confidence motion) case.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ruled in two of the most important constitutional cases that have engaged its attention in its ten-year history.

The best quote I have read among dozens in relation to Father’s Day while preparing for this article is this: “By the time a man realises that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he’s wrong.” At lunch during last week, my elder son, who has a nodding respect for my legal acumen, even though it (the legal acumen) is at best modest, if it has even reached that level, and who consults me frequently, pronounced once again that he has a dim view of politicians.

As the general elections draw near, and the speculation surrounding the choice by the PPP’s of its presidential candidate is over, attention is now focused on the AFC’s choice of its prime ministerial candidate.

The United States renewed its Level 2 travel advisory on Guyana last Thursday.

To the sounds of Buju Banton and the echoes of the Wismar and Sun Chapman massacres, Guyana celebrates its 53rd Independence Anniversary.

The legal adviser to the Elections Commission came in for some blistering, public, abuse by Commissioner Desmond Trotman, who referred to the young lawyer as practising ‘deceit.’ Apparently, the opinion she gave as to the law relating to registration of electors, was not to his liking, as it contradicted the position that he and his fellow Government-appointed Commissioners had been advocating.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) gave a clear indication of its liberal and purposive attitude to constitutional interpretation in the Richardson case last year in which the constitutionality of the two-term presidential limit was challenged.

It is generally accepted that Guyana endured a period of rigged elections between 1968 and 1985.

In English law, fair comment on a matter of public interest is allowed.

Challenges to transparency in Government have attracted public comment in the past two weeks.

Many Guyanese are in despair arising out of the current political deadlock and the failure of our politicians to resolve it.

As is now well known, the Constitution makes no distinction between a ‘simple’ and an ‘absolute’ majority.

Miles Greeves Fitzpatrick was born on the 12th January, 1936. His parents were the late Maxwell and Millicent Fitzpatrick.

President Granger last Friday said that “the Government is conducting its affairs in accordance with the Constitution and with respect for the rule of law.” He sought to convince the nation that it was the Speaker of the National Assembly who directed the Government’s approach to the court and that the cooperation of the Opposition is necessary for credible elections.

The meetings last week between the President and the Leader of the Opposition and the President and the Guyana Elections Commission did not yield a solution to the impending constitutional crisis that has been dominating the news in recent weeks.

Guyanese can be excused for being baffled at the latest developments in the current political saga gripping the nation.

The crisis facing Guyana, due to get worse on March 22nd, when the Government loses its legal authority, was not the result of the actions of evil people.

The statement issued by the Bar Council of the Guyana Bar Association during last week quoted a dictum of the Chief Justice (ag) in the case of Attorney General of Guyana v Dr.

I usually post these articles on Facebook on Saturday evenings. Articles dealing with political issues usually attract a great deal of comment.

The Chief Justice ruled that the no confidence motion was lawfully passed on December 21st in the National Assembly by a 33-32 vote, and that the vote of Charrandass Persaud was lawful, notwithstanding that as a dual citizen he was unlawfully occupying his seat in the National Assembly.

By virtue of the now familiar Article 106(7) of the Constitution of Guyana, elections are due to be held within three months of the passage of a no-confidence motion in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018, that is, by the end of March.

Contradicting what appears to be the unanimous prevailing view that dual citizenship prohibits a Guyanese from being a member of the National Assembly, Counsel in the case brought by Christopher Ram argues to the contrary.

In a lengthy article, “Countries at the Crossroads 2011: Guyana,” written for “Freedom House” before the general elections of that year, Assistant Professor Joan Mars, of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice of the University of Michigan-Flint, said: “Elections are constitutionally due to be held in 2011.

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, having declined to reverse his declaration on December 21, 2018, that the no confidence motion against the Government had been carried on a vote of 33-32 in favour, has shifted the arena of contest to the Court.

Both the President and Prime Minister accepted the outcome of the confidence vote.

What transpired in the National Assembly on Friday evening was always a distinct possibility, with the Government’s one seat majority.

A scathing editorial in the Kaieteur News last Friday shockingly castigated Members of Parliament in most unparliamentary language, from which the title of this piece is taken.

Why has the Government failed to proceed with constitutional reform to implement the proposals contained in its manifesto for the 2015 general elections?

At the Georgetown mayoral elections on November 30, AFC Councillor Michael Leonard was nominated by his lone colleague.

The PNCR appears to have had no difficulty in accepting the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in its appellate jurisdiction.

Firemen are first responders who are required to help and protect victims and their property.

Prior to the announcement of the date for local government elections, there was speculation, particularly in Opposition circles, that the Government would find reasons not to hold the elections.

Much discussion and debate has occurred since the elections of 2011 in relation to post-elections coalitions in Guyana.

Guyana’s main political parties will only be interested in constitutional reform to transform our ethno-political system if a sufficiently large portion of the electorate demands it.

President Granger’s address to the National Assembly completely omitted any reference to constitutional reform.

Stabroek News will forever be defined by its birth pangs from an authoritarian womb.

Local government elections are to be held on November 12th. With the polls, the never-ending stream of suspicions have emerged as the Government established new local government units and merged others.

Sex and politics intersected in an explosive controversy that has gripped the United States as Professor Christine Blasey Ford gave evidence last Thursday to the United States Senate about a sexual assault perpetrated against her in the summer of 1982 by Judge Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s nominee to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy, on the US Supreme Court.

Of all the other Caricom countries, Guyana has enjoyed the closest relations with Trinidad and Tobago.

Ryan Crawford, whose middle name you will have to guess, is an attorney-at-law in practice in Berbice, and the son of the late Marcel Crawford, one of the Ancient County’s distinguished lawyers.

Those who advocate changes in the composition and method of selection of the members of the Elections Commission suffer from the ostrich syndrome.

Last Sunday, it was reported that a mother from Enmore on the East Coast had chased her three-year old son around the yard of their home and subsequently stabbed him several times.

Ivor Archie has been the Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago (TT) for ten years and is a prominent judicial personality in the Caribbean.

A report on the cost of food for each sitting of Parliament being $700,000 has triggered a particularly sharp debate about the cost and the alleged supply of alcohol.

The AFC declared on Monday last that it would be contesting the November 12 local government elections on its own.

An extensive debate is currently raging in the media on the Government’s lethargic approach in preparation for the oil industry.