As he signalled a role for himself in the next government, former two-term President and PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday said that the constitution provides that PPP/C presidential candidate Irfaan Ali should be declared the winner based on votes gained.
“Article 177: 2 (b) is quite clear… it says that once it is established that one list has more numbers than the other, then the presidential candidate with the majority vote is deemed the president of Guyana, is deemed, and the Chair of GECOM shall declare him as president,” Jagdeo yesterday told reporters, following a meeting he and Ali had with Commissioner of Police Leslie James at Eve Leary, Georgetown.
“It has already been established now that the PPP’s list has the most votes and, therefore, Irfaan Ali is already deemed the President of Guyana. It’s awaiting that section of the Constitution, which says that the Chair of GECOM shall now declare him …so as far as we are concerned, all of the shenanigans to prevent the declaration, it is not going to work because that is the Supreme Law of the country,” he declared.
The GECOM Chair however has to be advised of the winning list by the Chief Election Officer. This process is still days from conclusion.
Article 177 of the constitution deals with the election of a president for this country.
“Any list of candidates for an election held pursuant to the provisions of article 60 (2) shall designate not more than one of those candidates as a presidential candidate. An elector voting at such an election in favour of a list shall be deemed to be also voting in favour of the presidential candidate named in the list,” it states.
“(2) Where – (a) there is only one presidential candidate at the election; or
(b) There are two or more presidential candidates, if more votes are cast in favour of the list in which a person is designated as presidential candidate than in favour of any other list.
That presidential candidate shall be deemed to be elected as president and shall so be declared by the Chairman of the Elections Commission acting only in accordance with the advice of the chief election officer, after such advice has been tendered to the elections commission at a duly summoned meeting,” it adds.
As tabulation of the recount has been completed, the CARICOM observer team is currently compiling their report and has remained in Guyana to do so. This newspaper understands that the team decided to stay in Guyana as the report compilation is a joint effort and as they are staying at the same hotel, it makes for easier and timelier cross-referencing. They will then present their report to the Chief Election Officer. CARICOM General Secretary, Irwin LaRocque, who is based at the Caricom Secretariat in Liliendaal will also receive a copy of the report and he will submit it to CARICOM Chairman, Barbadian Prime Minister, Mia Mottley.
After their report is handed in, Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield is expected to submit a summary of the certificates signed for each district and a summary of the observation reports submitted within each district to the GECOM’s seven-member commission who will then deliberate and decide on the way forward.
‘No surprise’
Jagdeo is hoping that a decision is made by the proposed June 16 timeline and yesterday he said that Ali should be sworn in swiftly, as early as next week, as there is much work to be done to fix the country’s economy and various sectors.
Regarding the financial crisis at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), where the corporation said it needs government to bail it out lest it be forced to shut down for lack of funds, Jagdeo said that the PPP/C would immediately grant the bailout.
In a press release on Tuesday, the Guyana Agricultural and General Workers Union (GAWU), the main sugar worker’s union said Chairman of the Board of Directors John Dow had written to the president seeking an urgent bailout to alleviate the crisis the corporation is in.
The union said that in a letter dated May 15, Dow appealed to President David Granger “… to use your good offices to arrange for funding to prevent the impending closure of the Industry.” In the letter he also said that GuySuCo needs funds now to be able to survive after the second week of June 2020.
“That will come next week when Irfaan [is sworn in],” Jagdeo said when asked about the bailout for the corporation.
But he said that now, not only GuySuCo’s issues need addressing as from what he understands, the country’s economic state needs urgent addressing.
“We have to look at Marriott (Hotel). Was it able to service its loan? Look at the reserve position… there are tons of issues that have to be addressed. Right now from all I am hearing we are practically bankrupt as a country,” he said. Jagdeo, has been the main face of the PPP/C during campaigning for the elections and is credited for galvanizing support for the party.
Ali last December said that he has asked Jagdeo to serve as a vice-president alongside him, if the PPP/C returned to power.
Jagdeo still has not pointedly said what role he will play, although he has stated it will be more of an advisory role where he did not have to “work all day”.
Asked again yesterday if there was a place for him in an Ali government, he replied “that will come next week. If there is, there will be no surprise.”
Debate as to whether Ali was merely selected to function as a “puppet” at Jagdeo’s beck and call and questions as to the authenticity of several of his academic qualifications, however, have remained proverbial thorns in his side, since he announced his presidential run.
But he has consistently dismissed concerns of being ‘a puppet” president and has stressed his independence.
“I can assure you that my position will be independent, with the collective, that is, the Cabinet. We will be part of a team and that is our approach to governance,” he had told reporters.
Asked whether safeguards will be implemented to ensure that he is not manipulated by Jagdeo, Ali said “I do not see how it is linked to my independence as an individual, as I would be leader of Cabinet.”
