Georgetown: Guyana’s constitution clearly provides for the People’s Progressive Party’s presidential candidate, Dr. Irfaan Ali to be declared President, according to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo on Wednesday said citing Article 177 (b) of the constitution.
Following the completion of the national recount of the ballots cast in the March 2, polls, the final result shows that the PPP/C which received the most votes will form the next government.
“It has already been established now that the PPP’s list has the most votes and, therefore, Irfaan Ali is already deemed the President of Guyana. It’s awaiting that section of the Constitution which says that the Chair of GECOM shall now declare him so as far as we are concerned all of the shenanigans to prevent the declaration, it will not work because that is the Supreme Law of the country,” Jagdeo said.
He explained that Article 177 (2) (b) of the constitution is quite clear, “where there are two or more Presidential candidates, if more votes are cast in favour of the list in which a person is designated as Presidential candidate than in favour of another list, that Presidential candidate shall be deemed to be elected President and shall be so declared by the Chairman of the Elections Commission …”
Jagdeo said it has been established already that the PPP/C’s list has the most votes and therefore Dr Irfaan Ali is already ‘deemed’ the President of Guyana. It is awaiting the section of the constitution which says that the Chair of GECOM ‘shall’ declare him.
But, PPP General Secretary made no reference of the key role of the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield in advising the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh.
Meanwhile, Jagdeo added that the PPP/C, and the entire country, is now waiting on GECOM to move ahead and make the official declaration.
In addition to the current financial crisis gripping the sugar sector, Jagdeo highlighted many other issues which he said, need to be addressed urgently, but are being affected due to the delay in GECOM’s official declaration of the results.
“That is why we need the declaration early so we can address these issues,” he said.
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