GEORGETOWN – President Dr Irfaan Ali has pushed back against mounting public speculation over the delay in electing a Leader of the Opposition, making it clear that the timeline lies squarely in the hands of the National Assembly and not the Executive.
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, the President said he too is awaiting the completion of the constitutional process before he delivers his major address to the 13th Parliament. But he stressed that government has “absolutely no role” in convening the required sitting.
“There are three branches of government, the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary,” Ali reminded. “The Legislature would, within the rules, constitute their meeting at the relevant time to have the Leader of the Opposition elected. That is in their domain.”
The President pointed out that Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir is currently out of the country. Until he returns, Ali argued, the sitting to elect an Opposition Leader simply cannot take place. “From what I’ve seen in the news, the Speaker is travelling now,” he said.
“You don’t expect the Speaker, while he’s overseas, to convene the meeting.” Once the Speaker is back, Ali said he is confident the National Assembly will move forward and complete the process. Under the Constitution, all non-government MPs must first be sworn in before they can select a parliamentary member to serve as Opposition Leader.
That meeting must be properly convened and chaired by the Speaker or, in his absence, the Clerk of the Assembly. President Ali reaffirmed that the administration will continue to respect constitutional boundaries and will not interfere.
When the Opposition leadership issue is settled, the President plans to return to the House to outline his government’s roadmap through 2030, including strategies for national resilience, major development projects, and strengthening democratic institutions.
As Guyana’s 13th Parliament gets underway, the President said he remains confident that all branches of government will execute their responsibilities “at the appropriate time.”
