The Speaker of the House yesterday provided the guidelines for Thursday’s historical motion to remove sitting President Paula-Mae Weekes.
The Opposition United National Congress signalled its intention to bring this motion to remove the President over what they say is her role in the failure to provide a Commissioner of Police merit list to Parliament.
According to the guidelines the motion requires a vote of not less than two-thirds of the total membership of the Electoral College.
At the meeting of the Electoral College, the Chairman will call upon the Members of the College to vote on the adoption of the motion, without amendment or debate.
The Clerk will then call on each member of the Electoral College to vote. Each member may vote by verbally saying either yes or no but if a member wants to abstain, then they remain silent.
“The Chairman will then announce the result of the vote. The meeting of the Electoral College will be adjourned by resolution,” the Speaker said.
The motion will only succeed if it is adopted by at least two-thirds of the total membership of the Electoral College.
If the vote is successful then the Speaker will inform the Chief Justice of the adoption of the motion by the Electoral College.
“The Speaker shall also forthwith inform the President of the adoption of the motion by the Electoral College,” the Speaker said.
If the motion is defeated, the Speaker shall then inform the President.
The Electoral College will be a unicameral body made up of the Members of the Senate and all the Members of the House of Representatives all assembled together.
The Speaker of the House will sit as chairman of this constituted Electoral College.