President Ali Addresses Timing of Opposition Leader Election

News

On Wednesday, President Dr. Irfaan Ali provided clarification regarding the timing of the election for a new Leader of the Opposition, stating that the process is solely dependent on the National Assembly. He emphasized that progress cannot be made until the Speaker of the House returns to the country to convene the necessary sitting.

This clarification comes amid public concern over the apparent delay in opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) convening to select their leader, a step that President Ali hopes will be completed before he addresses the 13th Parliament in full.

Speaking with reporters, President Ali underscored the division of responsibilities among government branches, noting, “There are three branches of government: the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary. The Legislature will, within the rules, constitute their meeting at the relevant time to have the Leader of the Opposition elected. That is in their domain.”

The President highlighted that Speaker Manzoor Nadir is currently overseas, making it unreasonable to expect the election process to proceed in his absence. “From what I’ve seen in the news, the Speaker is travelling now. You don’t expect the Speaker, while he’s overseas, to convene the meeting,” he stated, assuring that both the Speaker and the National Assembly will manage the meeting appropriately upon his return.

According to Guyana’s Constitution, non-government MPs must first be sworn in before electing one of their members as Opposition Leader, with the meeting requiring supervision by the Speaker or, if unavailable, the Clerk of the National Assembly.

President Ali reiterated the government’s commitment to respecting constitutional protocols, asserting that it will not dictate the timeline for parliamentary processes. He confirmed that he intends to deliver a significant address to Parliament once all constitutional matters, including the election of the Opposition Leader, are resolved.

In his upcoming address, the President plans to outline his government’s vision for 2030, focusing on strategies for national development, resilience, and sustainability. As the 13th Parliament begins its work, President Ali expressed confidence that the legislative branch will fulfill its responsibilities in due course.

Loading