Georgetown: Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo said “I can have a list ready in a matter of hours, consistent with the judgment of the CCJ,” in response to President David Granger writing him to re-initiate the process of appointing a new chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
He said that the President underestimates the serious implications of Caribbean Court of Justice’s (CCJ’s) ruling when the reality indicates that his government is illegal as of March, 21, 2019.
On Tuesday, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) upheld the December 21 vote of no-confidence against the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Government, thereby triggering the need for early elections.
Jagdeo said at his press conference on Thursday that the process of appointing Justice (Ret’d) James Patterson, Chairman of Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) was flawed as ruled by the CCJ and his post is now unconstitutional and a replacement will have to occur as soon as possible.
“Elections have to be held in three months from the date of the CCJ ruling, we can only follow the law,” Jagdeo said.
The CCJ will make a number of consequential orders on Monday, in part with respect to the appointment of a new GECOM Chairman; however, it has asked the parties to arrive at a consensus ahead of those orders.
Jagdeo noted that delaying the appointment of the chairman cannot be used as an excuse to delay the elections, but, the CCJ has forecasted such eventualities.
“The current list of voters, updated consistent with the representation of the People’s Act can be used to facilitate those elections within three months. Contrary to what is being peddled about this doomsday scenario that people are going to be disenfranchised and young people will not be able to vote is a total falsehood,” Jagdeo said.
He said that the same list the government is touting as outdated and corrupted was actually valid at the Local Government Elections without any complaints in November last.
Jagdeo said speculations and misleading statements on the part of the President will only serve a case of fiction and not reality.
“There has been 10 cycles of continuous registrations giving people an opportunity to register since the last house to house registration, so in July last year, the last cycle of continuous registration came to an end and anyone who was 14 on October, 1st, 2018 could have registered,” Jagdeo said.
Jagdeo said that lies and deceit cannot outlast the truth that will eventually surface.
“Anyone with a problem with the list can just visit GECOM and state their concern, if there is a dead person on the list, if they want to transfer their names since they live somewhere else and you can also get on the list if you are not on,” Jagdeo noted.
The opposition leader noted that GECOM has to comply with the constitution and foreign diplomats are being updated on what is the position of the People’s Progressive Party.
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