“There is no other place to hide… “Caretaker” govt. must ensure elections in 3 months – Jagdeo

Jul 13, 2019 News

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Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, yesterday challenged citizens to call the government “caretaker”.

This was hours after a morning session in the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), where the court stopped short of giving a date for elections, but said that the Constitution of Guyana spells it out clearly that elections have to be held in three months.
Over the last seven months, the country’s attention has been riveted on what happens next after a shocking no-confidence vote by the Opposition was carried on the evening of December 21st 2018 in the National Assembly.
The Coalition Government, with just four years in office, challenged the validity of the vote.
It went to the High Court, which upheld the vote but ruled that Charrandass Persaud, a government parliamentarian who sided with the Opposition to carry the vote 33-32, was ineligible by virtue of the fact that he had dual citizenship with Canada.
The matter was taken to the Court of Appeal which ruled the vote was not carried and that 34 was the majority of the 65 seats. However, the CCJ in June ruled the vote was carried.
Yesterday, the CCJ issued a number of orders.
The CCJ noted also that it had expressed the view that it is expected that the Government will continue as a caretaker for the affairs of the country but that in light of its caretaker role, it should be restrained in the use of its legal authority.
Yesterday, Jagdeo said that the statements of CCJ on the “caretaker” role of Government is perhaps the most profound of what was rendered and vindicated what the Opposition has been saying all along – that the Government can only prepare for elections.
He said the court actions have paused elections, but following the June 21st CCJ rulings, the pause button has been released and elections should be held in three months – by September.
While noting that the CCJ has not named a date, Jagdeo pointed out that the court has underscored what the Constitution has said – that the Government must resign and only remain as caretakers. It cannot use the period until elections to file other court matters.
“All monkeying around stops,” a charged up Jagdeo told reporters yesterday at his Church Street office.
According to Jagdeo, a former president whose bid for a third term was turned down by the same CCJ, the Chief Elections Officer of GECOM and staffers have to comply with the court orders and the Constitution, and move with the utmost urgency and as soon as possible.
“There is no other place to hide and the court has finally decided.”
The Opposition Leader also made it clear that this government cannot call Parliament.
Meanwhile, the Alliance For Change (AFC) which sits with the Coalition Government as the smaller faction, said it respects and accepts the recent consequential declarations and orders delivered by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
“The AFC maintains the court’s position on the appointment of former GECOM Commissioner James Patterson and recognises that it is GECOM and GECOM alone that can determine a date and timeframe for General and Regional elections.”
The AFC said it notes, contrary to the view of the Opposition, that CCJ President Justice Adrian Saunders stated clearly “Article 106 of the Constitution invests in the President, the National Assembly and implicitly in GECOM responsibilities that impact on the precise timing of the elections, which must be held, it would not therefore be right for the Court, by the issuance of coercive orders or detailed directives to presume, to instruct these bodies on how they must act and thereby pre-empt the performance by them of their constitutional responsibilities.”
AFC said that it is not, for example, the role of the court to establish a date on or by which the elections must be held or to lay down timelines or deadlines that in principle are the preserve of political actors guided by constitutional imperatives.”
The Alliance For Change further notes that the Caribbean Court of Justice went on to state emphatically that “the President and the Leader of the Opposition should, as soon as possible, embark upon and conclude the process of appointing a new GECOM Chairman, this imperative is of utmost urgency.”
According to the party, it strongly reiterates that this process is critical to ensuring public confidence in credible general and regional elections.
“The party therefore urges that consultations between the President and the Leader of the Opposition must continue so that a new Chairman can be appointed without delay.
Under a new Chairman, GECOM must urgently advise on the earliest date for holding credible elections. The Alliance For Change supports the holding of elections within the shortest possible time frame by GECOM.”

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