Member Country News
The Seychelles National Party condems the illegal dissolution of the National Assembly in the session of Tuesday July 12, 2011, and the blatant disregard for the Constitution which this manoeuvre represents.
Article 111 of the Constitution, under which the Assembly has been declared dissolved, states clearly that dissolution can only be tabled at a meeting “summoned for the purpose”. This obviously calls for a special meeting, with the motion for dissolution indicated on the Order Paper for the meeting. The intention of the article is clearly to give notice to all members that dissolution is to be considered, and to give all members the right to speak and vote on the motion. The resolution in an ordinary session without notice of the motion makes the dissolution unconstitutional and illegal.
The participation of the Ms. Jane Carpin in the vote for dissolution is also illegal because Ms. Carpin had already been removed as a Member of the National Assembly by Opposition Leader Wavel Ramkalawan. The notification of Ms. Carpin’s dismissal was communicated to the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Patrick Herminie, immediately after Ms. Carpin had voted for the Constitutional Amendment tabled in the morning session. The vote therefore did not have the requisite two-thirds majority of members of the Assembly. In the matter of dissolution of the Assembly, Speaker Herminie has deliberately manipulated the presentation of the motion and acted without regard for Assembly procedures.