Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698077009777.pdf (Guyana)
BRITISH GUIANA FIRST IBGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FIBST SESSION 1961 - 1962 MINUTES of the Proceedings of the 49th Sitting of the Legislative Assembly of tlE Colony of British Guiana under the British Guiana (Constitution) Order in Co·u.ncil, 1961, the Legislature at the Public Buildings� Georgetown, held in the Chamber of Demerara, AT 2.00 P.M. on WEDNESDAY, 26TH SEPTEMBER, 1962.

PRESENT: His Honour the Speaker, Mr. R.B.

Gajraj.


(a) Me:;-, bera of the Gove1·nment :Progre_§_sive rartv People's (j_) Ministers Tbe Honourable B.H.

Benn, Minister of Natural Resources.

Ram Karran, The Hon,ou_rable Minister of· Works and The Honourable R. C�a_�disingh .. Hydraulics.

1 Minister of Labour, Health and Housing.

Dr. the Honourable .Charles Jacob, Jr., Minister of Finance.

Dr. the Honourable F .H.

W � Ramsahoye, Attorney-Genera l. E.M.G.

Wilsonf The Honourable ons.


Minister of Communicati Parliamentary Secretari es ' Mr, G. Bowman, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Mr. L.E.M.

Mann, Parliamentary Secretary to the Mr. S.M.

Saffee, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Hyd raulics.

Ministry of Finance.

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( .. \ 111 (iii)Other Members Mr. G.L.

Robertson Mr. M. Bhagwan W.1r.

J.B. Caldeira Mr. V. Downer Mr. M.Hamid Mr. D,C.


Jagan Mr, H. Lall Mr. M. Shakoor (b)Member s Constituting the Minority (i)People's National Congress Mr. W.O.R.

Kendall, Deputy Speaker Mr. J. Carter Mr. E.F. Correia Mr. N.J. Bissember Mr. W.A.

Blair Mr. J.G.

Joaquin Mr. R.J. Jordan Mr. C.A.

Merriman Mr. H.M.S.
Merriman Mr. H.M.S.

Wha;rton • The Minister of Labour, Health and Housing gave the following reply: ANSWER: The Schepmoed Dispensary launch is at present out of service as it requires general repairs to the hull to the extent of $730, The Ministry called f or tenders for this work· and a contract was recently in New Amsterdam, awarded to work will shortly be undertaken.
Meanwhile, the Ministry has arranged for the Dispenser at Ida Sabina to visi t the lower settlements on the Berbice e,s far ?,s Tora:rii and De Veldt until launch is put back into service, a Boatbuilder the Sche;pmoe� Eiver and the ,9uestion No.

36 Mr. Cheeks asked the Minister of Finance the following question� QUESTION: According to Paragraph 46 of the Budget Speech, 1962, the Draft Estimates of Expenditure call for "$2.6 mn.

for revised salaries and cost-of­ living allowances to pensioners".
On March 2, of tbe said sum of $2.6 nm.

1962, the expenditure was authorised by the Legislative Assembly, Will the H onourable Minister of Finance state wbether Government living allowancesi pensioners h ave received their cost-of­ And if not, why not?

-�he Minister .

.. of -Finan,ce ·- .

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tqe follow:i,ng reply: ,.

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�) - 1AN$W:E;R : No, sir; tlie G ov�rnment's proposals for revised .to 1;>ensioners could not -c_ost-:-.of.�1,iyi.ng ,�ll.o�ances .U:nt_il, the.

levels .of.revised salaries· "he· formu).ated arid conseqiiently of rela�ed pen:sions,.

with which the rates of allowances must 'be consistent, were settled.

It .. i� noped.

to submit th,e pro posals in.

thsi near future.

· ' · ' Supplementa ry Question.s:'w.ere as.ked :t>y Mr, Che��-s., .

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS .


; � (a)�X.0-JLW�� CONTROL (AMENDMENT) B ILL, 1962.

(B_ill .No.

23/1962 _,(L.A.).p\l,blis:re.d 25.9.62) •.

The Minister of Finance, on behalf of the Government, _presented the following Bili: A BIL'.L inti t·uled AN ORDI NANCE TO .AMEND THE EXCHANGE ORDINANCE, CONTROL_ .

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1958. .

The Bill w.a� read -t·he first tim�.

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The Minister of the House.· in ·terms_.·'.of Sta;riding Order 46 ( 2) t.o.

proceed· · with ·the remaining stages of the Bill ·the following day.
g'f?.v'� notice.

·of his inten:tion w·i th· the.

cons�nt .

; Cb)' :DEFENCE : .

-�iDL,: 196.2.

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,(Bill No.

22/1962(L.A.) _publis�$d 25.9.62).

The A�tirig pf�mie��-�n-'beha,lf of the·Gavernme,n t�.

presented tre fallowing Bill.:.

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5 • FOR AGAINST DID Nill VOTE Mr. Cheek s Mr. d'Aguiar Mr. Wharton Nil Mr. Melville Mr. Merriman Mr. Jordan Mr. Joaquin Mr. Blair Mr. Bissember Mr. Correia M:r •.
Carter Mr. Kerrlall Mr. Shakoor Mr. Lall Mr. Jagan I-.1-1=' 0 Hc1xr;.iJ J:/ii:.--:, :Downer J.1'.i:r·.

Caldeira 1111.t' • Bi'lagwan Mr o RobE0:rtsi:m Mr. Saffee Mr. Mann :Mr� Bowman Mr. Wilson Dr. Rarrisahoye Dr" Jacob Mr Chand isingh Mr. Ram Karran Mr. Ben..-vi 26 The amendment by the Minister of Finance.was then put and carried ..

Thereafter the.motion .as amended was put and carried, Item 2 -MOTION TO RE:DUCE VOTING AGE FROM 21 TO 18.
BE IT RESOLVED: That this Legislative Assembly approves of the reduction Elections from 21 to 18 years.

General in the voting age for As the Minister motion, Mr. Bissember, was uncons.titutional foD the Ass�mbly to consider of Natt!.ral Resources rose to move this on a point of order, claimed that i t under Article 55 of the Constitution such a motion.
Bis Honour the Speaker stated that the power to amend was reserved to Her Majesty under section the Constitution 22 of the British Guiana (Constitution) Order in Council, 1961, The motion could not therefore alter the Constitution, In effect it would merely express the view of the House on to the Constitution.

The Chair, an important· issue relating µe added, could not therefore raised by Mr. Bissember and in the circumstances the Acting Premier would be permitted to proceed w ith the motion.
uphold the point of Order With du� respect to His Honour's ruling, Mr. Carter expressed the view that to debate the motion now, having regard to the forthcoming talks in London on the question of a new Constitution In the circumstances he felt that the Members of his Party could take no part in the debate on the motion.

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I for this territory, would be improper.