A citizen has moved to the High Court challenging the constitutional change to limit the presidential tenure of an individual to two terms on the grounds that it is null and void since the change was not effected by a referendum but rather by a two thirds majority in the National Assembly.
Fredrick Richardson, through his lawyers Shaun Allicock and Emily Dodson, has named Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Speaker Raphael Trotman as respondents in the action. The two have been given eight days to file a response or challenge the action.
Stabroek News was unable to get a copy of the suit, but according to Allicock his client is a citizen of Guyana who has been voting since 1992 and feels that his constitutional rights should not have been infringed on by way of a parliamentary decision but rather if such was to be done it must be done by way of a referendum. In the action he said it was pointed out when the 1980 change was made to the constitution as it relates to the presidential term it was done by way of referendum. However, when the amendment was done to Article 190 and also affected 164 of the Constitution limiting the presidential stint of an individual to two terms it was through a parliamentary majority.
In the action Richardson is said to have pointed out that the amendment basically inhibited a citizen of Guyana rights to vote for an individual for as long as they see fit. The action named former president Bharrat Jagdeo as an example since according to Allicock he would have been the only president who would have been denied the opportunity to run for another term in office due to the constitutional change.
Asked about the genesis of his client’s action Allicock said his client is a Guyanese and one who exercises his voting rights and who feels that his constitutional rights has been affected by the amendments.
It is not clear what if any impact this latest High Court move would have on the upcoming May 11 polls. While incumbent President Donald Ramotar has been named as the PPP/C’s presidential candidate it has been long believed that many in the party and would support Jagdeo to have another shot at the presidency.
