The governing People’s Progressive Party on Thursday evening expressed its concern over the recent move to the court by a Georgetown resident to challenge the constitutionality of the two term limit to the presidency.

In a statement, the party said “what is of interest is the timing at which this challenge is being raised and by whom.”

The PPP believes that with Guyana moving towards elections on May 11, 2015, the court action may be an attempt to “throw a spanner in the works”. The party said attention now should be paid to ensuring that the upcoming elections are free and fair.

“The interest of those behind the challenge lies in the darkest and deepest crevices of a democracy comparable to the galleries of Hades”, the PPP said.

 Former President Bharrat Jagdeo is the only living former President who served two terms in office and is constitutionally barred from serving a third term. He is named in the court action, but the former President has distanced itself from the move by the Georgetown resident saying that he is not interested in seeking a third term or serving in any elected constitutional office.

The PPP said it wants to “state unequivocally that Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo had publicly affirmed  time and again  his respect for the Constitution and that he has no interest whatsoever in any so called “third term” Presidency.”

“It is now become  obvious that Mr. Jagdeo’s assertions fell on deaf ears  and that his expression of disinterest in returning to the Presidency notwithstanding, the  modern-day Quislings working in close collaboration with the local satraps  continue to generate and peddle this absolute nonsense, elevating it to useless legalistic twaddle”, the statement added.

The PPP said while other parties may still be in talks, it has already settled on its presidential candidate. President Donald Ramotar is expected to lead the party into the next elections.

“The PPP has confronted many subterfuges in and out of elections season.  We fought off and overcame all of them.  This new subterfuge will be fought off too and consigned to the dustbin of history.”

Filed: 6th February, 2015

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