President David Granger will meet with the Chairman and Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission on Friday at 11 o’ clock.
As a follow up to yesterday’s meeting with the Opposition Leader, the President, through his State Minister, wrote the Elections Commission Chairman and Commissioners, inviting them to the meeting.
In a statement yesterday, President Granger signaled his intention to meet with the Commission to better understand its readiness and needs for the hosting of early elections, which have been triggered by that December 21, 2018 no-confidence vote.
The President has indicated that he will meet with the Opposition Leader again, following his meeting with the Elections Commission. However, he has made it clear that it is the Commission that will have to advise him on its elections readiness.
According to the President, “GECOM is an autonomous, GECOM is an independent agency and there is no part in the Constitution which gives the President or the Executive in general authority to interfere, intervene or intrude in the work of the Elections Commission…we are moving towards elections, but GECOM is in charge of elections, not the Executive. I cannot decide when elections will be held, GECOM has to advise”.
The Constitution of Guyana caters for elections to be held within 90 days of the passage of a no-confidence motion or at time agreed to by two-thirds of the National Assembly.
The Opposition Leader has said that his party will lend its support for that two-thirds majority if the timeline is not in the distant future. He believes elections could be held by the end of April, but the Elections Commission has said that based on its timelines and preparations, the earliest date would be in the month of July.
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