Dear Editor,
Having heard President Granger’s address following the CCJ ruling, it is extremely important for us as a nation that the following points in response are made as we digest today’s events:
first, President Granger says, on the one hand, that he respects the ruling of the CCJ and the Constitution but then, on the other hand, he says he will not set an election date before November. The Constitution states clearly that once a vote of no confidence was passed in Parliament then the Government must call an election within 3 months. Now that the CCJ has ruled that the no confidence motion was validly passed, if President Granger indeed respects the Constitution and indeed respects the ruling of the CCJ then he must set immediately a date for elections to be held within 3 months. If President Granger does not do this then let’s be clear he does not respect the Constitution and does not respect the ruling of the CCJ no matter what he says as actions speak louder than words.
Second, I have heard on numerous occasions President Granger reference the term “‘credible elections”. In the letter he sent to the Chairman of GECOM or as I should now say the former Chairman of GECOM dated 13th March, 2019, President Granger requested a work plan to deliver “credible elections”. Today in his address he once again referred to “credible elections”. This concept of “credible elections” is a concept which is totally alien and unknown to the standard of internationally recognised elections. The internationally recognised standard is, of course, just free and fair elections. Nothing else. The international community has already offered its commitment to ensure that we have a free and fair election in Guyana which we had a few months ago with the same list of electors. That election was accepted by all contesting parties to be free and fair including the party which Granger leads.
Finally, I could not help but note with disappointment that the President used the remaining half of his address to shamelessly campaign for himself and the coalition. When you are president of a nation, the people you lead need direction and guidance especially in times like this. What they do not need to hear at moments like this is for you to shamelessly beg to be re-elected. That was totally inappropriate and totally unacceptable and I believe an apology is in order. We await the consequential orders from the CCJ on June 24th.
Yours faithfully,
Charles S. Ramson
