Dear Editor,
After months of political uncertainty regarding the date for general and regional elections, there are now some encouraging signs that the Guyanese electorate will head to the polls on March 2nd, 2020.
The announcement by the president now brings to an end any further speculation regarding the date for elections but has not in any way erased the fact that the administration is unconstitutional in the absence of an extension of its life by a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
President Granger has indicated that Parliament will meet on October 10th, presumably to extend the life of the government but that is only of cosmetic value given the fact that the parliamentary opposition will not lend support to such a move.
Be that as it may, the Guyana Elections Commission now appear set to circumvent the constitutional residency requirement for inclusion on the Official List of Electors upheld by the courts, by its most recent decision to insist that all persons on the Preliminary List of Electors present themselves at the nearest GECOM office during the Claims and Objections period, which will commence on October 1st and last until November 10th. This effectively means that eligible voters who currently reside overseas or who, for one reason or the other, are unable to present themselves in person to GECOM, could be disenfranchised. This could potentially result in a legal challenge regarding the constitutionality of the electoral process.
On a more positive note, the joint statement by the United States, Britain and the European Union calling for free and fair elections is most welcome and will certainly help to enhance confidence in the credibility of the electoral process.
Yours faithfully,
Hydar Ally
