The recent Working People’s Alliance (WPA) warning against any attempt to subvert presidential term limits was prompted by renewed indications of a possible referendum on the question attached to upcoming local government polls.
The WPA on Saturday said it hoped that the PPP/Civic would not engage in any “adventurist” steps to subvert the constitution and term limits, noting that 2011 would bring to an end President Bharrat Jagdeo’s two full terms in office. “The WPA advises, well in advance, schemes to subvert and/or undermine the Constitution would be most unwise,” the party said.
Stabroek News was told that the WPA’s statements were intended to put the governing party on notice of concerns about pursuing a referendum on the two-term limit for the presidency, which was agreed by all parties to during the constitution reform process. The WPA, this newspaper was told, felt that such a course would lead to enormous turmoil in the country.
The public discourse on the issue has been fuelled by contentions that President Jagdeo is interested in a third term, a speculation which has been repeatedly denied by the head of the state. A week ago, he told a private sector dinner he felt the need to address the issue of the constitution possibly being amended to extend presidential term limits, following several comments about him winning again if he runs in 2011. “I have no interest in another term…all that speculation out there is just that, speculation. The media has been in a frenzy,” Jagdeo said. He further opined that the speculation might be triggered by persons who fear that he may endorse a particular individual.
Earlier in the year, the AFC leader Raphael Trotman had also warned that there was “chatter” that the local government polls could be used to attach a referendum on abolishing term limits for the president. Trotman stated that “there has been some chatter that the elections may be held with the ulterior and sinister purpose of attaching a referendum to it for a constitutional amendment for the presidential term limit to be abolished,” similar to a vote in Venezuela.
At the time, PPP General Secretary Donald Ramotar rubbished the claim, saying it was nonsense.