CARICOM chair criticised for comments on political crisis in Guyana

 The New York-based Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) said the assertion by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) chairman, Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda, that CARICOM “respects the right of Guyana’s President Donald Ramotar to prorogue Parliament and is not “too concerned,” are repugnant to the constitution and people of Guyana, and incongruous with democratic values.CGID president Rickford Burke in a statement on Saturday described Browne’s comments as “uninformed and vacuous.” He accused CARICOM of demonstrating partiality towards the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP). 



“Mr Browne’s comments evince tacit support for the PPP’s repression of the elected representatives of the people,” Burke added. 



On November 10, Ramotar suspended the nation’s Parliament in order to prevent the passage of a no-confidence motion against his government. The edict came as members of parliament assembled to debate the motion by the opposition Alliance for Change (AFC). 



The combined opposition controls the 65 seat House with a majority of 33 seat; 7 from the AFC and 26 from the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). The government is in the minority with 32 seats. All 33 opposition MPs registered their support for the motion. Hence its passage was guaranteed. 



Had the motion passed, the government would have had to resign immediately and call general elections within 90 days. Guyana’s presidential and parliamentary elections are separate but simultaneous. The party with a plurality of votes in the presidential elections attains the presidency and forms the government. 



Ramotar, in an address to the nation on December 6, vowed not to recall the Parliament but failed to call elections. Opposition leaders promptly branded him as a dictator who is acting extra-constitutionally to hang on to power. They demanded that the president set a date for elections.Stabroek News on Friday quoted Browne as saying CARICOM will “respect the president’s judgment and constitutional right,” to suspend the legislative branch of government.” He also said CARICOM will be keenly watching how the situation plays out in the coming months and, should Ramotar renege on his commitment to name a date for general elections, CARICOM is committed to engaging as mediators. Browne said that CARICOM was sufficiently satisfied that Ramotar’s decision was not intended as an abuse of power and that the Community was duly satisfied that the creation of an autocratic state was not the intention behind the prorogation. 



Burke, a former top aide to Guyana’s late president Desmond Hoyte, argued that Ramotar is abusing his power to obstruct the constitutionally sanctioned impeachment process. He contended that Ramotar in effect dissolved the Parliament but is calling it a “prorogation” to avoid calling elections.