The Clerk to the National Assembly has sought, in a letter to the press, to answer my article last Sunday in which I contended that the Speaker must convene the National Assembly now. My argument was that the National Assembly, when adjourned without a date being fixed, must sit on the next sitting day pursuant […]
Tag Archives: parliamentary government
THE SPEAKER IS OBLIGED TO CONVENE THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY NOW!
There appears to be no consensus among parliamentary parties about a date for the first sitting of the National Assembly after the just concluded recess. There also appears to be some confusion as to the procedure by which the National Assembly is to be convened. It is claimed that the Government has to make a […]
EXCISING THE PRESIDENTIAL CARBUNCLE
In his article last Wednesday in Future Notes, (‘Some suggestions for constitutional reform’), Dr. Henry Jeffrey, advanced extensive views on constitutional reform. In order not to lose the momentum and opportunity of a discourse on the subject, I now seek to give some opinions of my own in the hope that they will add to […]
QUID PRO QUO
The Peoples’ National Congress (‘PNC’) Government nationalised the Demerara Bauxite Company in 1971. At that time article 8 of the Constitution of Guyana provided for the payment of “reasonable” compensation. The Bauxite Nationalisation Act (‘Act’) of 1971 amended ‘reasonable’ to give constitutional validity to the nationalization. At that time the PNC did not have a […]
RUDISA AND THE GOVERNANCE OF GUYANA
The case of Rudisa Beverages and Juices (Rudisa”) v The State of Guyana, decided by the Caribbean Court of Justice (“CCJ”) on May 8, 2014, exposes not only the state of governance in Guyana over the past two decades but also symbolizes the complete loss of Guyana’s ability to achieve political agreement on any matter […]