Jagdeo cautious with Opposition’s recommendations for electoral reform

The Vice President said when the consultations are held on the issue of electoral reform, the government will take into account what occurred during the last elections, and what it can do to avoid that from reoccurring.

Jagdeo cautious with Opposition’s recommendations for electoral reform

Vice President Bharat on Friday said that the People’s Progressive Party government will not remove the residency requirement from the election laws, noting that the High Court has already pronounced on the matter.

As the Opposition continues to hammer on the issue of a new and clean voters list and for some changes to be made to the Representation of the People’s Act, the Vice President has declared that the Government is not buying some of the points of the Opposition.

“I don’t trust them, we are not tying no bundle with them, the people of this country have to decide through the public consultations,” Jagdeo said.

The Vice President said when the consultations are held on the issue of electoral reform, the government will take into account what occurred during the last elections, and what it can do to avoid that from reoccurring.

He said while there have been concerns raised about the makeup of the Elections Commission, the same formula has been working.  

“So any amendment to that formula will have to replace with some solid safeguards that ensure that elections can’t be rigged by capricious actions or illegal actions on the part of the technical people. So we still have an open mind but that is not going to happen by us sitting down with APNU and deciding on this,” the Vice President said.

On the matter of dialogue and inclusivity and power-sharing, the Vice President said his government will not be duped.

“We were not born yesterday and we will not be duped. We genuinely want to work with the Opposition but it has to be on the basis of principle and long-term commitment”, the Vice President said.

The Vice President met on Friday with the Deputy Assistant US Secretary of State for Caribbean Affairs and Haiti. 

The US official has also held talks with the People’s National Congress and some civil society groups. 

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