PPP condemns assertion that Sept. 18 elections deadline is self imposed

Aug 12, 2019 News

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has denounced the assertions of Trade Unionist, Lincoln Lewis, who in a letter over the weekend, claimed that the September 18 elections deadline is a part of an agenda by the PPP and not a part of the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
In a statement to the press, the Party stated that Lewis’ assertion was nothing but “a barefaced attempt” to mislead the public.
According to the PPP, Lewis selectively refers to one sentence from the consequential orders granted by the Caribbean Court of Justice.
“Had Lincoln Lewis read the consequential orders, issued by the Court on July 12, 2019, in totality, he would have been clear on what is now the constitutionally mandated deadline for elections to be held in Guyana.
“By now, most Guyanese are clear that Article 106 (6) of the Constitution mandates that General and Regional Elections are to be held within three months of the passage of a no confidence motion.”
The Party went on to state that paragraph six of the CCJ’s consequential orders states that “Given the passage of the no confidence motion on 21st December 2018, a general election should have been held in Guyana by 21st March 2019.
The said paragraph stated too that the three-month deadline, if it is to be extended, can only be done by vote of two-thirds of the Parliamentarians in the National Assembly.
The Party’s General Secretary and Opposition Leader has repeatedly said there will be no agreement to any extension of the life of the APNU+AFC caretaker government by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C). Further, the CCJ’s consequential orders go on to add that,” the PPP said in the statement.
The Party concluded therefore the filing of the court proceedings in January challenging the validity of the no confidence vote effectively placed matters on pause, but this Court rendered its decision on 18th June 2019.—there is no appeal from that judgment.”
“The CCJ was clear that the clock on the three-month election timeline started on June 18, 2019 – meaning that the deadline for Elections to be held ends on September 18, 2019.
After that, Guyana will be under unconstitutional rule. These facts considered, it would seem that basic logic and reasoning continues to elude Lincoln Lewis.”
Further on, “Lewis pointed out that the Caribbean Court of Justice did not set a date for Elections, he seems to miss the point that the Court pronounced on the timeline within which Elections must be held”. The Party recommended that he reads paragraph five of the CCJ’s consequential orders.
“It states clearly that these particular provisions [Article 106 (6) and (7)] require no gloss on the part of the Court in order to render them intelligible and workable. Their meaning is clear and it is the responsibility of constitutional actors in Guyana to honour them.
“Upon the passage of a vote of no confidence, the Article requires the resignation of the Cabinet including the President. The Article goes on to state, among other things, that notwithstanding such resignation, the Government shall remain in office and that an election shall be held ‘within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine.”
According to the PPP, the Guyana Elections Commission (“GECOM”) has the responsibility to conduct that election and GECOM too must abide by the provisions of the Constitution.”
“It would seem that the Caribbean Court of Justice overestimated the levels of integrity among the likes of Lincoln Lewis and others when, in paragraph seven of its consequential orders, it said ‘The Court must assume that these bodies and personages will exercise their responsibilities with integrity and in keeping with the unambiguous provisions of the Constitution bearing in mind that the no confidence motion was validly passed as long ago as 21 December 2018.”

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PPP condemns assertion that Sept. 18 elections deadline is self imposed

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