Outgoing U.S Ambassador Brent Hardt in a stinging attack on the government for its continued delays in setting the stage for local government elections, has said that it’s past time for President Ramotar to call the elections.
Speaking the closing ceremony on Tuesday of a training programme organised by the Blue Caps Non Governmental Organisation, the U.S diplomat stepped away from diplomatic language as he called on the President to set the stage for the elections and to move away from the ongoing delays that have been taking place for two decades.
“The President has correctly cast himself as a defender of the constitution – which is certainly one of his responsibilities as President — and has claimed that his opposition to certain National Assembly bills is based on his desire to abide by the constitution. But he cannot be an inconsistent defender of the constitution – ignoring the constitution’s very clear requirement to hold local government elections and, for that matter, to return bills to parliament no more than 21 days after they are sent to him”, the Ambassador said.
Mr. Hardt also lashed out at the “excuses” from the governing People’s Progressive Party, that the People of Guyana have to be in the “mood” for the local government elections.
He said “one of the more creative excuses came from the PPP General Secretary, who suggested that the people of Guyana are not in the mood for LGE. But the constitution and the legislation does not say that elections should be held every three years, unless some members of the governing party feel that people are not in the mood for LGE. Elections are constitutionally and legislatively mandated. They are not dependent on a mood. In fact, in a democracy, the best way to assess the mood of a people is to hold an election.”
“The delay has also been attributed to “historical context.” But all of those so-called historical issues put forward have been resolved and are no longer relevant. Again, there is nothing in the way”, Hardt added.
The Ambassador noted that suggestions that the Guyana Elections Commission is not prepared or that people are not ready “have also been shown to ring hollow by GECOM and by people such as yourselves who have made clear that the people of the country are very much ready”.
The U.S Ambassador has been making his views known on the 20 year delay in calling local government elections in Guyana. He is on record as saying that the time is now to call the elections and the delays need to come to an end. A number of other diplomats and civil society groups have been making similar calls.
According to the U.S Ambassador, “in the midst of these attempted justifications for delay, it is noteworthy that the President has recently called City Hall “just a disaster.” He lamented that there is so much to be done around the city that isn’t being done. So why would he not wish to hold LGE to create some democratic accountability within the city?”
In the past the governing party has accused the U.S Ambassador of becoming too involved in domestic affairs and has accused him of regularly meddling in internal affairs of the country. The diplomat appears unmoved by the accusations.
“The President had said that “citizens should raise their voices a bit more as far as that is concerned.” But citizens are raising their voices. They are saying they want LGE to address the situation. They want to raise their votes, but only he can give them that opportunity. And it’s past time for him to do that”, Mr. Hardt offered.
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