Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo says that Opposition members Gail Teixeira and Adrian Anamayah – both of whom have dual citizenship – have tendered their resignations as Members of Parliament.
Teixeira has been a member of the National Assembly for over 25 years while Anamayah became a Parliamentarian in 2015.
Noting that the decision has been an agonizing one for the Opposition Chief Whip, Jagdeo noted she is “one of the most knowledgeable persons in Parliament.”
“Having to resign from a principled position must be heart-wrenching but she is a principled person,” Jagdeo said at a press conference at his Church Street, Georgetown office Wednesday.
However, he affirmed that after renouncing her Canadian citizenship, she will be placed on the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) List of Candidates for the next General and Regional Elections.
Still to resign from the opposition side of the house is MP Odinga Lumumba.
On the Government side of the House, it was reported that of those with dual citizenship, Minister within the Ministry of the Presidency Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has resigned.
It is unclear whether the other government Ministers – Carl Greenidge, Joseph Harmon and Dominic Gaskin – have since resigned.
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, when contacted by the News Room, said he cannot disclose the names of those who have so far resigned before reporting to the National Assembly.
Jagdeo said the PPP has not decided on replacements as it will not be attending the next sitting of the National Assembly set for April 26.
The Opposition Leader, following the Court of Appeal ruling on March 22 that the No-Confidence Motion against the Government was not validly passed, said the PPP will not attend a sitting of the National Assembly until the Caribbean Court of Justice –Guyana’s final appellate court, rules on the matter.
The Court of Appeal, in that decision, upheld an earlier ruling by the High Court that persons with dual citizenship are not eligible for election to the National Assembly.
“There is no change of heart,” he told the media.
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has set May 10th as the date for hearing on all matters related to the No Confidence vote of December 21.
