The combined opposition’s negotiations to choose a suitable candidate for the position of Speaker of the National Assembly when that august body reconvenes next year seems to have hit a snag, with both the Alliance For Change (AFC) and A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) insisting their respective candidates should occupy the position.
The APNU, which had amassed 40 per cent of the votes at the just-concluded elections, has put forward Deborah Backer as its candidate while the AFC has nominated Moses Nagamootoo.
However, though APNU is the major opposition force, AFC with its 10 per cent has been arguing fiercely as to why it should be given the post.
Sources told Guyana Times International that recent meetings by the parties have failed to make any headway in selecting one of the two candidates.
Deborah Backer
“Not much has been agreed except that we have moved away from looking at personality and rather the quality of the person,” a senior source on the selection panel told this publication.
The AFC had been saying that it will support the APNU getting the deputy speaker position, chief whip for the opposition benches, and also the opposition leader.
For the first time in Guyanese history, the opposition parties with a one- seat majority will be controlling Guyana’s 65- seat National Assembly.
The ruling PPP/ C had nominated former Speaker Ralph Ramkarran for the post, but the opposition has rejected this.
Last week in a statement, the PPP/ C expressed dismay at the behind-the-closed-door discussions between the APNU and the AFC for the speaker position, saying that it makes a mockery of their talk of cooperation with the government and does not bode well for future collaboration.
Moses Nagamootoo
“We note media reports that the AFC is collaborating with the APNU to decide on who will be the Speaker of the National Assembly. Earlier Mr Ramjattan was reported as urging APNU to support the AFC’s nominee for Speaker and the AFC would back the APNU’s nominee for the deputy speaker’s position,” the PPP/ C said in its release.
The PPP/ C said it has announced its intentions of nominating Ramkarran for the position of Speaker.
Ramkarran, the party said, demonstrated fairness and integrity when he served as Speaker with distinction.
“He was commended on several occasions by all sides of the House for the leadership he provided. The opposition tactics is signaling that they do not intend to cooperate with the government with any degree of sincerity. The fact that they have moved away from the established practice of parliamentary democracies speaks volumes. This does not bode well for future cooperation,” the release concluded.
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