Govt files No-Confidence Motion against Harmon

…demands immediate resignation as Opposition Leader
In a shocking twist one day after Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon filed No-Confidence Motions (NCM’s) against two People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government Ministers, Prime Minister Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips has slapped Harmon with a NCM of his own.

According to the motion seen by this publication prepared by Phillips, he is demanding Harmon’s immediate resignation from the position of Leader of the Opposition.
The NCM cites several grounds for Harmon’s removal, starting with his role in the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change’s (APNU/AFC) desperate fight to stay in power after losing the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.
Phillips also contended that the Opposition Leader “recklessly misinformed the public and the National Assembly” when it comes to the Covid 19 vaccine, its efficacy, and its acquisition by the government.

This is a reference to Harmon’s recent campaign against the Government’s acquisition of Sputnik-V vaccines, during which he even called for a halt to the distribution of the vaccine. According to Phillips, Harmon’s actions endangered lives and increased vaccine hesitancy among an already vulnerable population.
“And whereas the Leader of the Opposition opportunistically used the horrific murder of the Henry youth from West Coast Berbice as a means to incite ethnic disharmony. And whereas the Leader of the Opposition has consistently denigrated the representative of the joiner parties, Mr. Lenox Shuman, Deputy Speaker, as a legitimate member of the parliamentary opposition, even going so far as to deny him holding an opposition seat on any parliamentary committee. Be It Resolved that this House expresses its lack of confidence in the Leader of the Opposition and calls for his immediate resignation,” Phillips said in his motion.

No effort, political drama
Meanwhile, On Wednesday, President Dr Irfaan Ali also poured cold water over the motions of no confidence APNU/AFC brought against his Ministers, saying the Opposition did not even put any effort into their motions.

During an interview with the media on the side lines of another event, the President pointed out that the motions filed against Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony and Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn are one-liners that seem to have been hurriedly put together.
“If you are going to do something meaningful you should put effort [into] it. Have you seen it? The motion is one line. They didn’t spend time to put effort… it is just political drama and it has no thinking or structure or work behind it… it’s just political drama and I don’t have time for that,” the President said.
President Ali went on to say that his focus remains on delivering on his party’s promise to the Guyanese people, something he noted both Ministers Anthony and Benn have been doing. However, he did note that the motions filed by APNU/AFC will give his Government the chance to once again examine the coalition’s record in office.

Motions
Harmon filed the motions against Dr Anthony and Benn on Tuesday, descending on the National Assembly with a number of his fellow Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) in tow.
His motion against Dr Anthony is being seconded by former junior Minister of Health, Dr Karen Cummings. On the other hand, his motion against Benn is being seconded by shadow Home Affairs Minister Geeta Chandan-Edmonds.
Upon receiving the motion, Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Issacs informed the Opposition Leader that he will examine the motions to ensure they “do not offend the standing orders”, after which they will be transmitted to Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir, for his approval or disapproval. Issacs did promise Harmon, however, that he would handle the motions expeditiously.
According to a statement from the APNU/AFC afterwards, “…in filing these No-Confidence Motions, is acting on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Guyanese who have lost all confidence in the performance of these two incompetent Ministers to perform their duties.”
The APNU/AFC contended that “the management of the spread of COVID-19 has been woeful, there has been questionable procurement of vaccines and confirmed COVID cases and deaths are spiralling out of control. Dr Anthony must bear direct responsibility for the health care crisis and disaster he has placed Guyana in, imperilling the lives and health and wellbeing of every citizen. The nation has lost confidence in Dr Anthony and we formally take action on behalf of the people of Guyana today.”
At present, the configuration of the National Assembly sees the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) with the parliamentary majority of 33 out of 65 seats. APNU/AFC, the main Opposition party, has 31 seats, while the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), in collaboration with two other parties, holds one.