President Bharrat Jagdeo addresses the opening of Parliament on Thursday

PNCR Leader Robert Corbin is challenging the convening of the Parliament and the appointment of Ministers of the Government.

But, clearance was given to hold Parliament following a ruling by Chief Justice Carl Singh on Wednesday.

The Chief Justice presided over a writ filed by the Alliance For Change (AFC) seeking the court’s help in determining if the President could appoint a date for Parliament and if he could appoint Ministers of the Government before they become Members of Parliament.

The bone of contention for both the AFC and the PNCR lies in the fact that the President issued a proclamation to convene Parliament, outside of the four month time frame stipulated by the Constitution.

Corbin has expressed mixed reactions to the ruling handed down by Chief Justice Carl Singh and noted that the party is prepared to go the way of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

“The People’s National Congress Reform is rather shocked but not surprised by the decision of the Chief Justice, which decision appears perverse and against all the logic we can see. However he has ruled and I suppose that he has legitimised what we consider to be the unconstitutional behaviour of the PPP and more particularly President Jagdeo and it is a most dangerous precedent to the beginning of the Ninth Parliament,” Corbin stated.

He noted that the decision handed down by the Chief Justice does not prejudice their actions before the court and urged that the courts will treat their case with the same expedition with which the AFC matter was dealt with.

Corbin had urged that the PNCR case should be heard before the Parliament was convened Thursday.

“We will be proceeding right through to the court of appeal and to the Caribbean Court if necessary to have this matter ventilated because it is a most dangerous precedent when any Government or President feels that they could breach the constitution…one wonders what else will occur in the period ahead,” Corbin said.

Newcomer to politics in Guyana, the AFC has indicated that it intends to appeal the decision by the Chief Justice.