Demerara Waves Online News- Guyana Riding on the Crest of Truth
Last Updated on Sunday, 21 February 2016, 12:51 by Denis Chabrol
Minister of Immigration and Citizenship, Winston Felix.
Days after Chief Justice Ian Chang ruled that Minister of Government Keith Scott and Winston Felix should not sit in Guyana’s National Assembly, Felix has declared he will abide by the decision handed down by the Chief Justice.
Chang had ruled that the two government ministers could not be non-elected members of the National Assembly because they were on the APNU+AFC’s list of candidates.
In explaining the essence of his decision, Chief Justice Chang has told Demerara Waves that “They are elected members of the National Assembly since you vote for a list. When seats were allocated, they were allocated from a list in terms of number so all the persons on the list are elected members of the National Assembly but if you are not on the list you can’t be an elected member.”
“Whatever was the decision of the court I will abide by it,” Felix said when he was questioned by Demerara Waves.
He indicated that there was some dismay regarding the manner in which the judgment was delivered.
“I leave the Attorney General to deal with the remainder of it because there are obvious issues to be dealt with and the Attorney General will deal with it,” he stated.
AG Basil Williams has charged that he has not been given the opportunity to respond to the motion in the High Court, a claim that has been debunked by People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) lawyer, Anil Nandlall.
He said that for this and other reasons the ruling will be challenged.
“That was so surprising and it’s improper to treat the Attorney General’s Chambers in that mater by just suddenly out of the blues surfacing to say you rendering a decision without giving the Attorney General and opportunity to be heard in the first place,” Williams stated.
Justice Chang has not issued an order for the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland to ask Scott and Felix to vacate their seats.