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AFC will not compromise Govt’s position on CCJ ruling—Ramjattan
Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan, has said that the AFC will not compromise the Coalition Government’s position as it relates to the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
AFC Leader, Khemraj Ramjattan
A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) administration had announced that it is prepared to comply with every ruling of the CCJ.
The CCJ had upheld the no confidence motion, which was passed against the government on December 21, 2018. The Constitution stipulates that notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months. After a lengthy period of litigation in the Courts, the CCJ made a final determination last month.
The Coalition had said that it would abide by the CCJ ruling, but pointed out that the ultimate decision of when elections would be held lies with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), as an autonomous agency.
The government had said that GECOM must declare its readiness.
The Commission has so far commenced house-to-house registration to prepare a new voters’ list in the lead up to election – a position that the Opposition is utterly against.
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has claimed that the exercise is part of a deliberate act to delay the holding of elections. The party wants elections by September 18, 2019.
In a recent radio interview, Ramjattan in his capacity as leader of the AFC, noted that the Coalition does not think that the September 18 deadline by the Opposition is a plausible date for the holding of credible regional and general elections.
According to Ramjattan, it is virtually impossible that GECOM could be ready for general elections by that time.
“I recall that GECOM, prior to the decision of the CCJ, had indicated that it would take some months before you get a credible list of voters.”
During the interview, the AFC leader reminded too that $3.4 billion was put aside in the budget specifically for the house-to-house registration exercise.
“If you recall, the PPP had not opposed that budgetary allocation…”
Ramjattan, who currently holds the post of Minister of Public Security, was adamant the government has done nothing unlawful.
According to the Minister, those in Government will continue to hold office and are doing so lawfully.
“We will not resign…This Government is in a process whereby, by virtue of necessity, we will remain in government.”
Further, Ramjattan contended it is my legal argument that these deadlines being used are not mandatory but directory, since they depend on so many other administrative matters in the country.
The AFC leader reasoned that that is why the CCJ never endorsed the demand of the lawyers of the Opposition to call elections on before the 18th of September.
“Because we have other political factors to consider; GECOM must first state its readiness for the elections, the President must make a declaration for the dissolution of parliament…”
Ramjattan said too that Government‘s position on house-to-house was taken since 2017.
“We had indicated in 2017 that we are going to have a brand new house-to-house registration, but we did not have the monies at that time.
The monies had to go for the severance pay of sugar workers – even the PPP accepted that indeed we are going to defer the house-to-house for the time period leading up to the general elections slated for 2020.”
Ramjattan stated further that the decision was supported by Dr. Steve Surujbally, a former GECOM Chairman, who he claims had indicated in a letter that we must hold elections based on a brand new list.”
He added, “There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. We would like an election where nobody is disenfranchised.
And I don’t mind the difference in opinion from that side of the fence… In a democracy we are always going to have disagreements…”
Ramjattan stressed too that GECOM is an autonomous body.
“We are also in the position of getting a new GECOM Chairman and if that new chairman has a different position that he feels elections could be held with a claims and objections period, then fine!”
“But if the new Chairman supports the position of house-to-house, what happens then?”
“So there are other parties’ positions to consider besides the government and the opposition,” the AFC leader added.
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