In an address to the nation from Bartica in wake of the ruling by the CCJ, President David Granger this afternoon said that Guyana will be heading to the polls, but the country cannot proceed to elections with the current voters list.
“It is essential that we hold fair, free and credible elections. We cannot proceed on the current list of voters. It is outdated and corrupted. It may hold as many as 200,000 incorrect entries. What’s more, those who have reached the age of 18 years since the last election are not on it”, the President said.
The CCJ this morning ruled that the December 21, 2018 vote of no-confidence motion against the Government of Guyana was properly passed. In a separate case, the Court also ruled that the unilateral appointment of the GECOM Chairman by the President was flawed and against the Consitution.
The Court will however provide orders on June 24.
In his address, the President said the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, Justice Patterson, had previously informed him that the Commission will be ready to hold elections in November 2019 and that that will be after the completion of house-to-house registration.
“I now await a recommendation for a specific date from GECOM and I will then issue a proclamation”, President Granger said in his address.
According to the President, “we will be heading to the polls and there’s going to be a crucial choice for our citizens. A choice to decide the future of our country and, most importantly, the future with regard to jobs, living standards, and education for our children”.
The President said “Guyanese will be given the choice to elect a government they trust to continue on this path, to keep Guyana moving forward, to secure a better life for every family with the united APNU+AFC coalition, or risk our future by returning to the past”.
President Granger said his Government respects the legal process and the decision of Caribbean Court of Justice as well as the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
He noted that his government “did not believe that the no-confidence vote was valid and neither did we believe it reflected the will of Parliament or the Guyanese people. We will however accept, and abide by, the Court’s decision.”
The President in his address said it is now clear that the Guyanese people need certainty about the future and a way forward and he wants to outline a clear path. Mr. Granger said he will devote all his energies until the forthcoming election to serve the people and the country and deliver good governance.
“I call on all Guyanese to remain calm and I assure you that the Government will abide by the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana”, the President said.
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