…over breach of constitution
Though not clearly indicating whether the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) will be initiating legal proceedings, Leader of the Opposition, Joseph Harmon, on Saturday, called for criminal charges to be instituting against People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Member of Parliament and Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Oneidge Walrond; and Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, over breach of the Constitution.
Ahead of the first sitting of the National Assembly of the 12th Parliament, Clerk of the Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs had formally asked the identified Members of Parliament to disclose whether or not they held allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state, and though Walrond was a US citizen at the time, she not only failed to inform the Clerk of her status, but proceeded to take the Oath as a Member of Parliament, in clear breach of Article 155 (1) of the Constitutions.
The article states that no person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly – (a) is, by virtue of his own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.
With US records showing that Walrond was still a US citizen when she was sworn in as a Member of Parliament on September 1, 2020, and the APNU+AFC wants her gone.
“The APNU+AFC Coalition calls for the immediate resignation of Walrond as a Minister of Government and for fraud charges to be instituted against her and the Speaker of the National Assembly,” the Opposition Leader said during a virtual press conference on Saturday.
According to the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Certificate of Loss of Nationality of the United States, Walrond took the Oath of Renunciation on September 4, 2020 while the Certificate of Loss of Nationality was approved on the 8th September.
According to the coalition, Walrond was in clear violation of Article 155 of the Constitution which prohibits persons who hold dual citizenship from serving as Parliamentarians.
“It has now become clear and indisputable that at the time she was sworn in as Minister on August 5th and as a Member of Parliament on September 1st Ms. Waldron was a citizen of the United States of America and therefore ineligible to be a member of the National Assembly of Guyana – and therefore ineligible to be a minister,” Harmon posited.
He also accused the PPP/C Parliamentarian of misrepresenting the facts in a statement she issued on October 24, 2020. In a bid to clear her name, Walrond had said that she had completed the process for renunciation of her US citizenship on August 27, 2020 – days ahead of taking the oath of the National Assembly, but this, according to the US records, has proven to be untrue.
According to Harmon, the Technocratic Minister was encouraged, aided and abetted in this breach by President Irfaan Ali, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira who all sought to justify this “illegality.”
“There is only one course of action now for Walrond and that is for her to vacate the ministry and vacate the National Assembly. Nothing less will be acceptable,” Harmon said as he iterated the coalition’s position.
According to the Opposition Leader, this “latest scandal adds to the mountain of evidence highlighting the fraudulent nature of the PPP regime which was installed into government on the basis of fraud.”
