Apart from recommending persons to sit on commissions, President Dr Irfaan Ali must give reasons why each individual was chosen, says Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton. In the absence of these “grounds,” the Leader said that there can be no meaningful and objective consultation.
“The Opposition continues to point out that it is not yet in receipt of the grounds upon which each specific recommendation for appointment which is the subject of the consultation are being made,” Norton said at a press conference today.
He added that without these “grounds” he is not allowed to scrutinise the credentials and capabilities of persons recommended by the President.
Relations between the two leaders have further soured following Norton’s no-show at the second round of consultations that was set for yesterday by point-person, Gail Teixeira, the Chief Whip of the governing PPP/C, and the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance.
Norton said that the agreed-upon timeline for the second meeting was first violated by the President when he allowed the stipulated seven-day period to elapse.
Teixeira later cited several national events that demanded the President’s participation as the reason for not resuming consultations with the Opposition Leader.
Norton, on the other hand, said that the President ought to have foreseen these engagements and cater for same before committing to meet again in seven days. He is now accusing the government of deliberately frustrating the process so that the president may move to arbitrarily appoint persons whom he finds suitable. This must not occur, Norton said, while promising litigation.
The politician has also appointed an Opposition Member of Parliament and Senior Counsel to haggle on his behalf with Teixeira.
“In the light of the evolving situation, I believe it is apposite that I no longer engage through her. In the circumstance, Mr. Roysdale Forde, SC, MP, Shadow Minister of Legal Affairs will be my representative to engage Minister Teixeira. They, after having engaged, should pave the way for the Leader of the Opposition and the President to consult,” the politician disclosed.
