General Secretary of A New and United Guyana (ANUG), Senior Counsel Timothy Jonas today said he believes the decision by the Leader of The New Movement (TNM) to hold onto the Joinder seat in the National Assembly, after her allocated time, might be part of a plan by the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to keep his party out of the National Assembly, and silence it ahead of next year’s national elections.

At a press conference, Mr. Jonas said he was informed that Dr. Kissoon, who was expected to spend just three months in Parliament in keeping with the Joinder Agreement, might have been advised by persons in the Government to keep the seat, since she cannot be challenged in Court.

“I have been informed and I believe that Dr Kissoon received advise and encouragement from a lawyer who is closely associated with the PPP within their election machinery and of course, she was assured, she cannot be sued,” Jonas told reporters. 

With 244 votes, The New Movement party was expected to spend 91 days in the rotating seat, then make way for the ANUG representative.

However, it has been more than 180 days since the TNM Leader has occupied the seat.

While questioning the motive behind Dr Kissoon’s refusal to give up the seat and her silence on the issue, Jonas pointed while the seat may not hold much power in the Assembly, it allows for the representation of the constituency of the Joinder parties.

“There will people who in Guyana who will never vote PPP but they don’t like APNU, and they may vote for a third party. There are people in Guyana who would never vote APNU but they don’t like PPP, and they may vote for a third party. I believe that the PPP Government is much more comfortable, if there are only two parties going into the 2025 elections. I think they believe that in a face to face, PPP-APNU, they win. Whether, they are right or not I don’t know. But I do know, the last time, it was 5,000 votes, so it is important to take away voice from the only feasible third party that is realistically left here. A New and United Guyana is the only feasible third party left,” he reasoned.

ANUG’s Chairman Kian Jabour explained that after the Liberty and Justice Party Leader, Lenox Shuman, gave up the seat after completing his rotation, ANUG decided to allow Dr. Kissoon to be next in line, in case there were early elections.

He said in the absence of any formal agreement, Dr Kissoon took several extensions in her parliamentary stay, and has reneged on her last promise to resign at the end of February.

“ANUG took pride in giving a young politician, who had similar principles and values in 2020 elections to create a minority government, the opportunity to represent her constituents. This has been now met with a complete defiance of our agreement, a complete lack of respect for our agreement and a complete mistrust of the Guyanese people. At this point in time, it is a call for all Guyanese to step up, at this point in time, and understand that Ms Kissoon is sitting in this parliamentary seat illegally. She is not representing any constituent. The votes that she has won have given her an allocated amount of time, which has passed. At this point in time, Ms Kissoon is representing no one in Parliament,” Jabour said. 

Jabour said concerns were first raised about Dr. Kissoon’s integrity when after agreeing that she would not take up the Deputy Speaker position if nominated by the PPP, thereby allowing the main Opposition to have that post, she went ahead and accepted the nomination and landed in the position with the PPP’s support.

“It is also known to the public that Ms Kissoon is holding the Deputy Speaker seat, this is a seat that ANUG and Ms Kissoon spoke about prior to her going in, that we were hoping that she would take up the same principle as ANUG, and not accept that Deputy Speaker seat. That Deputy Speaker seat should have gone to the largest opposition in parliament as they represent the largest constituent base,” he said. 

Jabour said Dr Kissoon should do the right thing and relinquish her seat in Parliament.

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