Following a meeting with the Carter Center, President David Granger once again said in a nationwide address yesterday that it is the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) which must advise him on the best possible date for elections.
“It would be reckless and irresponsible, on my part, to appoint a date for elections without the Commission’s advice and assurance that it would be ready to conduct elections on such a date,” Granger stressed in his address.
He later added that the Commission has an obligation to assure the public that it is ready to conduct credible elections and to advise the President of its readiness to do so. Following this advice, he said he could then dissolve Parliament and issue a proclamation appointing a date on which elections could be held in accordance with the Constitution.
The President reminded that according to the constitution “the Elections Commission has exclusive and explicit responsibility for the conduct of general and regional elections.”
This position is the same that was conveyed to the Center team according to a press statement from the Ministry of the Presidency.
During the meeting with the Center yesterday afternoon President Granger is said to have assured the representatives that he will act decisively on receiving advice from GECOM.
During his later address to the Nation, he stressed that the Commission is insulated from political influence, instruction or interference and its independence is safeguarded by the Constitution and reiterated his commitment to providing governmental assistance to the Commission to ensure that the forthcoming elections will not be contaminated by mismanagement or malpractice.
“The Elections Commission has a constitutional obligation, therefore, to ensure that everything necessary would be done to deliver credible elections. It is the Commission’s task to ensure that adequate resources are acquired; personnel are employed; the Official List of Electors which enfranchises all eligible voters is published; administrative mechanisms to ensure efficient polling and the counting and tabulation of results are implemented; and that the laws of Guyana are enforced,” Granger noted
He sought to detail steps he has taken to show his commitment to the holding of “credible elections at the earliest time possible” stating that he has acted expeditiously throughout the year to ensure that credible general and regional elections are held.
“I consulted the Elections Commission on two occasions. I consulted the Leader of the Opposition on three occasions to select a new Chairman of the Elections Commission in accordance with the Constitution. I appointed Justice Claudette Singh as Chairman of the Commission and administered the Oath of Office to her on 29th July 2019,” the President detailed.
He added that a Governmental team met the Chairman and Commissioners of GECOM on Friday 13th September 2019 to ascertain its readiness to conduct the elections while a Parliamentary Opposition team met the Commission, also, on Tuesday 10th September.
“We are assured that the Commission is doing everything possible to prepare to conduct credible elections at the earliest time possible…[and] must be allowed to continue the task of preparing for the forthcoming general and regional elections,” he stated before concluding that he is ready to be guided by the Chairman’s assessment of the Commission’s preparedness to conduct elections.
“I urge everyone to uphold the Constitution and respect the judgment of our independent institutions and the people who have been appointed to manage them. I look forward to the Commission’s recommendation to conduct credible elections at the earliest time possible,” Granger stressed.
In a statement last evening, the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) rejected what is said was Granger’s parroting of excuses.
“While all Guyanese are clear that …GECOM is an independent commission, it must be reiterated that GECOM is also subservient to the very Constitution that guarantees its independence. However, as has been evidenced before, the caretaker president conveniently ignores this fact and attempts to convey the impression that GECOM, being an independent body, can afford to ignore its obligation to comply with the Constitution of Guyana. In its order after ruling that the no-confidence motion was validly passed on December 21, 2018, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), on July 12, 2019, was clear that: `The Guyana Elections Commission (“GECOM”) has the responsibility to conduct that election and GECOM too must abide by the provisions of the Constitution’”, the PPP stated.
It said that while Granger repeated the line about “credible elections within the shortest possible time” he has done nothing to comply with the constitutional provisions that became activated with the passage of the no-confidence motion. The PPP noted that the CCJ had said that the provisions of Article 106(6) and (7) of the Constitution apply to a No Confidence motion and that upon the passage of the motion of no confidence in the Government, the clear provisions of Article 106 immediately became engaged.
“The caretaker president remains deliberately oblivious to this order. As per Article 106 of the Constitution, the Cabinet has not resigned. Also, the Granger-led government has not been acting in a caretaker capacity”, the PPP declared.
The party added: “The caretaker president talks up his assurance in the actions of his Commission to ready itself for constitutionally mandated General and Regional Elections – which ought to have been held since March 21, 2019 – even as his minions at the Elections Commission advance actions that will delay Elections. How then can the Commission act expeditiously to advise on its readiness for Elections?”
The party called on Granger to be faithful to the spirit and letter of the Constitution.
