For unknown reasons, President Irfaan Ali did not address the 12th Parliament at its opening today, though it is customary for the Head of State to do so to give direction at the beginning of a new Parliament.
This is according to the 2007 ‘Manual of Rules of Procedure, Practices and Conventions used by Parliamentarians in the conduct of the business of the National Assembly’.
At paragraph 1.21, under the item of ‘Ceremonial Opening of Parliament’, the document outlines: “It is customary for the ceremonial opening of Parliament to take place at the first meeting of Parliament. This takes place at a designated time after the swearing in of Members. The ceremonial opening takes the form of an address to the National Assembly by the President who out-lines his Government’s programme for the next five years but, more particularly, the legislative programme for the first session. At the end of the Address he declares the new Parliament open and then passes the address to the Speaker, who in turn hands it to the Prime Minister.”
When this is done, at the next sitting of the Assembly, it is also customary for a motion to be made that an address be presented to the President expressing thanks for his speech. The new People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration did not follow these customs but proceeded only with the proclamation summoning session, conducted by Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs. Isaacs also conducted the roll call and the Election of the Speaker.
If it were unavoidable for President Ali to be present at the opening of parliament, Article 67 of the Constitution also empowers the President to send messages to the Assembly. The messages can be read by the Prime Minister or by any other Minister designated to do so.
Despite his absence, the Village Voice is cognizant that Article 67 of the Constitution also empowers the President to attend the National Assembly and address it “at any time”.
