Congress members call for examination of constitutional violations
Feb 25, 2015
Two US members of Congress from the State of New York yesterday called on the Obama Administration to reassess US policy on Guyana and investigate constitutional violations by President Donald Ramotar. (Since this was announced Ramotar has said Parliament will be dissolved on February 28th)
WASHINGTON: Earlier today, Tuesday, February 24, 2015, United States Members of Congress Hakeem Jeffries of the 8th District of New York and Yvette Clarke of the 9th District of New York called on the Obama Administration to “reassess its policy towards the Republic of Guyana and assist in resolving the current political crisis within the Guyanese government.”
In a letter to US Secretary of State John Kerry, the two Members of the US House of Representatives said that on November 10, 2014, Guyanese President Donald Ramotar abruptly dissolved the National Assembly (Parliament) as Members assembled to debate a motion of “no confidence” which was introduced for consideration by the opposition party – Alliance for Change (AFC).
They observed that passage of the motion appeared likely after all thirty-three Members of the combined opposition, who constitute the majority and who exercise control of the sixty-five seat House, publicly signaled their support for the motion to unseat the President and members of his party, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
They said that enforceable provisions exist in the Guyana Constitution to safeguard and guarantee a functioning legislature so as to ensure adequate checks and balances on the Executive Branch and that under the current circumstances, the Constitution mandates new general elections within three months of the dissolution of Parliament.
The Representatives posited that the suspension of Parliament “has silenced the voices of the people’s elected representatives. Consequently, the entire country is now being governed by the Executive Branch.”
“We believe that the United States and the rest of the international community must come together to foster a resolution to this crisis so that full democratic governance may be restored” to Guyana Clarke and Jeffries wrote.
Contending that “America must encourage President Ramotar to respect the Guyana Constitution and the will of the people,” they called on the United States and the international community to investigate alleged constitutional violations by Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar. “It is extremely important to preserve the democratic rights of the Guyanese people. Therefore, we ask the United States government to lead the international community in an examination of the alleged violations by President Ramotar,” the two Brooklyn Representatives wrote.
Clarke and Jeffries also called on the Obama Administration to urge Ramotar to hold both general and local elections, telling Secretary Kerry that “we also request that the United States urge President Ramotar to hold both general and local elections immediately, to recall the Parliament and to allow the elected representatives of the people to execute the responsibilities that they were duly elected to perform.”
WASHINGTON: Earlier today, Tuesday, February 24, 2015, United States Members of Congress Hakeem Jeffries of the 8th District of New York and Yvette Clarke of the 9th District of New York called on the Obama Administration to “reassess its policy towards the Republic of Guyana and assist in resolving the current political crisis within the Guyanese government.”
In a letter to US Secretary of State John Kerry, the two Members of the US House of Representatives said that on November 10, 2014, Guyanese President Donald Ramotar abruptly dissolved the National Assembly (Parliament) as Members assembled to debate a motion of “no confidence” which was introduced for consideration by the opposition party – Alliance for Change (AFC).
They observed that passage of the motion appeared likely after all thirty-three Members of the combined opposition, who constitute the majority and who exercise control of the sixty-five seat House, publicly signaled their support for the motion to unseat the President and members of his party, the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
They said that enforceable provisions exist in the Guyana Constitution to safeguard and guarantee a functioning legislature so as to ensure adequate checks and balances on the Executive Branch and that under the current circumstances, the Constitution mandates new general elections within three months of the dissolution of Parliament.
The Representatives posited that the suspension of Parliament “has silenced the voices of the people’s elected representatives. Consequently, the entire country is now being governed by the Executive Branch.”
“We believe that the United States and the rest of the international community must come together to foster a resolution to this crisis so that full democratic governance may be restored” to Guyana Clarke and Jeffries wrote.
Contending that “America must encourage President Ramotar to respect the Guyana Constitution and the will of the people,” they called on the United States and the international community to investigate alleged constitutional violations by Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar. “It is extremely important to preserve the democratic rights of the Guyanese people. Therefore, we ask the United States government to lead the international community in an examination of the alleged violations by President Ramotar,” the two Brooklyn Representatives wrote.
Clarke and Jeffries also called on the Obama Administration to urge Ramotar to hold both general and local elections, telling Secretary Kerry that “we also request that the United States urge President Ramotar to hold both general and local elections immediately, to recall the Parliament and to allow the elected representatives of the people to execute the responsibilities that they were duly elected to perform.”
