Opposition Leader accuses Government of influencing GECOM not to start elections preparations

The Elections Commission has not issued any formal statement about its readiness for early elections. Representatives of the President and the Opposition Leader are to meet with the Elections Commission to get information on its readiness. That meeting is still to take place, as GECOM's Chairman remains on medical leave.

Opposition Leader accuses Government of influencing GECOM not to start elections preparations

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo is maintaining his position that the Government should resign and prepare for elections within 90 days and now he believes that the Guyana Elections Commission is being influenced by the Government not to start elections preparations.

The Elections Commission has not issued any formal statement about its readiness for early elections. Representatives of the President and the Opposition Leader are to meet with the Elections Commission to get information on its readiness. That meeting is still to take place, as GECOM’s Chairman remains on medical leave.

At his press briefing today, Mr. Jagdeo said the Elections Commission may now be involved in a delaying tactic.

“We believe that what is taking place now in GECOM is that the Government is heavily influencing GECOM not to start the preparations for elections in 90 days. I have notified the international community to this possibility”, the Opposition Leader said.

Mr. Jagdeo said the Chief Elections Officer has indicated that he would have to await a statutory meeting before the meeting with the two representatives from the Government and Opposition could take place. The Opposition sees that as a delaying tactic, noting that he is sure the CEO could call the Chairman and move ahead with the meeting.

“So we have a huge hurdle now and we have to at some point decide whether we want to support this charade or withdraw from it totally, because somehow the Government is using all of these things…to further delay the elections and the readiness of GECOM. We are very concerned about that issue”.

The Opposition Leader also used his press conference to clarify that there was no agreement at the meeting between himself and the President on how the arms of the state should continue to function. He said the President must be in “la la land”, by thinking there was such an agreement.

Jagdeo said he is still holding the government to the 90-day deadline for elections, although there is a challenge before the Court. He said preparations should be underway in spite of the Court cases and the Government needs to know that it is “in caretaker” mode.

The Government has said there is no provision in the Constitution for any caretaker government and it will remain the government until the next government is in place.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login