Dec. 21 set for ‘No Confidence’ vote

The No Confidence motion filed by the Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo will be debated and voted in the National Assembly on December 21, Government Chief Whip Amna Ally has confirmed.

The date will be confirmed once the Order Paper for that day’s sitting is published.

Jagdeo had submitted his motion to the National Assembly on November 15, 2018.

The Government’s business in the House usually takes precedence but it is expected to treat with such motions in an expeditious manner.

The Government had determined that the motion would be debated once the 2019 budget is passed. The process to pass the budget in the National Assembly would be completed on Friday.

Jagdeo’s motion follows several allegations of corruption against the current administration during its three years in office.

“We’re hoping that this No-Confidence motion can shake this Government back to its senses and stop it from destroying our future through their borrowing, taxing, wasteful spending policies which would warn us in the post-2020 period,” Mr Jagdeo stated shortly after the motion was tabled.

He premised his motion on the Government’s actions which led to the loss of thousands of jobs in the sugar industry, increase in taxes, increase in the cost of living and allegations of corruption in the Health and Infrastructure sectors.

The Opposition needs a majority vote for the motion to pass. It has 32 seats while the Government has 33 seats.

The Government has expressed confidence that the motion would be defeated.

“It is the Government that has the majority and therefore, a no-confidence motion cannot succeed. It is a no-go, it is a no-no,” Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo Moses said.

If the motion is passed, the Government will have to call elections within three months.