“the April 11th, 2019 Sitting of the National Assembly, all members of the Govt side will be there”
– the State’s attorneys will advise the Govt with respect to Members of the Govt that are dual citizens
DPI, Guyana, Friday, March 29, 2019
Minister of State Joseph Harmon, today, explained that the Ministers of Government represent the people that elected them into office.
During his weekly Post Cabinet briefing Minister Harmon highlighted that matters concerning the dual citizenship of members of Parliament would have to be discussed at the level of the government and the level of the party.
Minister Harmon when asked about serving members of the Government who hold dual citizenship, explained that the government is awaiting advice from its legal counselors on the matter which is currently before the CCJ.
“I must say to you that this matter has engaged the attention of the High Court of Guyana, it has engaged the attention of the Court of Appeal and it is also a matter which has been appealed to the Caribbean Court of Justice as one of the grounds for appeal. In that regard, the attorneys representing the State will advise the Government with respect to the situation with Members of the Government that are dual citizens so in that regard, I will say that this matter is still engaging the attention and Cabinet has not made a ruling on it. In that regard, it is contemplated that on April 11th, 2019 when the National Assembly sits, that all the members of the Government side will be there.”
Minister Harmon that parliamentarians do not sit in the National Assembly of their own accord. They are elected as representatives of the people.
“I do not sit there on my own, members who are in the national assembly sit there as representatives extracted from a list and that list is made of persons who were actually elected within their parties. He added, “when you sit there, our parliament at the present configuration, you represent close to 5000 persons so you cannot on your own get up one day and leave. I am a representative of a list and a list that represents people.”
Following the December 21 vote by Charrandass Persaud there has been a challenge to dual citizens sitting in the National Assembly.
Rebecca Ganesh