Dear Editor,
The filing of a no-confidence motion by the PPP/C brings the Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr Barton Scotland, and his actions back into focus.
Since the new Parliament commenced sittings, several of Dr Scotland’s actions have brought his credibility into question. Now, his treatment of the PPP/C’s no-confidence motion will either confirm the views of his critics, or see him vindicated.
Will the no-confidence motion be delayed?
If he does delay the motion, his reasons will be interesting. The fact, is that the 2018 national budget has not been presented as yet, and there are no other matters that have been presented before the National Assembly which have implications like the ones attached to a no-confidence motion.
Will he succumb to instructions from his ‘handlers’?
Taking instructions from ‘handlers’, is one of the more popular criticisms of Dr Scotland. Guyanese can only hope that ‘instructions’ do not influence him. Recently in Sri Lanka we saw that the Speaker of that House required a police escort just to get into the Chambers, because some politicians did not want him to allow a no-confidence motion against their embattled Prime Minister to proceed. Yet that Sri Lankan Speaker did not succumb to pressure. Will Guyana’s Speaker do the same?
Will he allow the motion to proceed?
In India, only recently, we saw how fast the no-confidence motion against the Modi government was dealt with.
The outcome will be of much interest to Guyanese.
The happenings at Parliament have been popularised. This cannot be doubted. As such, the actions of Dr Scotland, moving forward, can be expected to remain under the spotlight.
Yours faithfully,
David Williams
