RULING ON THE ADMISSABILITY OF AMENDMENTS TO MOTION IN THE NAME OF THE HON. BRIG. (Ret’d) DAVID A. GRANGER, M.S.S., M.P.
1. Motions for debate are submitted by Members under the provisions of Standing Orders 26 and 27. (Admissibility of Motions and Notice of Motions or Amendments respectively)
2. The submission of a Motion does not guarantee that it will be placed on the Order Paper in its original form as there has to be a process to ensure that the Motion meets the established standards set out in Standing Order 26.
3. Following approval by the Speaker, a Motion is placed on the Order Paper by the Clerk for debate.
4. Amendments to Motions are expected to follow the same process for approval as the substantive Motion, and are expected to be submitted in sufficient time, before the date and hour of the debate of a substantive Motion, so that they can be examined to ensure that the Standing Orders have been complied with.
5. On Thursday, January 10, 2013, after convening the sitting for the day, I observed a document placed before me entitled: “ Amendments to Motion- The Appointment of a Commission Of Inquiry To Investigate The Incidence Of Criminal Violence From 2004-2010.” On closer perusal, I determined that it was a list of extensive amendments in the name of the Hon. Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, M.P.
6. The proposed amendments contain, in my considered opinion, matter that offends the Standing Orders.
7. I refer in particular, to references to sitting and former Members of Parliament, and other former and current leaders and superior officers of political parties and disciplined forces, and their “linkages” to criminal gangs; these, in my considered opinion, offend Standing Orders 26 (b), (c) and (d).
8. Apart from the fact that names of persons are inserted, and that some of them are not present to mount a defence of their characters, the amendments also make statements that appear to be “fact” and yet seek to have a Commission of Inquiry inquire into the very matters.
9. I consider the amendments in their present form to have gone far beyond the “paal” of what is expected, and acceptable, as coming from a Member of Parliament of the National Assembly for debate in this august House.
10. In the circumstances of the foregoing, the amendments in their original form are disallowed. Recommended changes to the amendments have been made.
11. The submitted amendments, not being approved, and contained in documentary form, are not to be considered as a document officially emanating from the National Assembly of Guyana.
12. The proposer of the amendments is invited to make the necessary changes, as recommended, or to withdraw the amendments entirely if he so chooses.
________________________________
Hon. Raphael G.C.Trotman, M.P.
Speaker of the National Assembly
January 11, 2013
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