No breakdown of rule of law in Guyana; International community needs to be patient -Govt. tells OAS

The Foreign Minister said it must be noted that the electoral process in Guyana is managed by the independent Guyana Elections Commission and it is the Commission that has not made a final declaration. She said the President of Guyana has repeatedly stated that he will abide by whatever declaration is made by the Chairperson of the Elections Commission in keeping with the laws of Guyana.

No breakdown of rule of law in Guyana; International community needs to be patient  -Govt. tells OAS

Guyana’s Foreign Minister Dr. Karen Cummings told a Permanent Council meeting of the Organisation of American States this afternoon that there has been no breakdown in the rule of law in Guyana and she chided some members of the international community over their “premature” statements on the situation in Guyana.

She reminded that the electoral process has found itself being challenged in a number of Court cases since the 2nd March, adding that despite the delay, “Guyana remains governed by the rule of law with full respect for the separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary. There has been no breakdown of the rule of law in Guyana”.

The Foreign Minister said it must be noted that the electoral process in Guyana is managed by the independent Guyana Elections Commission and it is the Commission that has not made a final declaration. She said the President of Guyana has repeatedly stated that he will abide by whatever declaration is made by the Chairperson of the Elections Commission in keeping with the laws of Guyana.

The OAS Permanent Council meeting was requested by the OAS Secretary General as the body expressed concern with the more than four month wait for the final declaration of the elections.

Dr. Cummings told the OAS that Guyana remains a peaceful, law abiding state and throughout the process which has been guided by constitutional provisions, “the people of Guyana have remained calm, patient and peaceful. The international community should therefore also be patient and not seek to influence unduly the constitutional and legal processes that are currently ongoing in Guyana”.

The Foreign Minister was supported in her statement by the Attorney General of Guyana, Senior Counsel Basil Williams who said the appearance before the OAS Permanent Council is premature since the matter is still ongoing in keeping with constitutional provisions and there has been no final declaration by the Commission.

Mr. Williams said while some in the international community have painted a doom and gloom picture of Guyana, the situation on the ground is very different. He said the Government will continue to respect the rulings of the Court and he reiterated the President’s position that he will abide by the declaration of the GECOM Chair.

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