…AG, GTUC urge end to political stalemate
…hold out hope for opposition agreement to extend timeframe for elections
THE Opposition plays no small role in ensuring there is no constitutional crisis, and Attorney General, Basil Williams, is urging that good sense prevails and that there soon be a meeting of all constitutional actors to ensure there is agreement for the extension of the timeframe for the holding of elections.
Last Friday Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, struck a softer tone on this issue when he was interviewed by members of the media, shortly after his meeting with President David Granger, at the Ministry of the Presidency. Whereas days prior, Jagdeo had been insisting that he will not return to Parliament to grant an extension for the timeframe for elections to be held outside of the constitutional three-month period, on Friday, he said “ I want to keep an open mind to these issues.”
Asked by the Guyana Chronicle whether the opposition is prepared to move to the National Assembly to extend the timeframe for elections if certain conditions are met, Jagdeo, in response, said that decision is still pending. “Right now we have not made a decision on that because right now there is no date and there is no reasonableness on the part of the government,” he explained, noting that he has heard positive statements made by the government representatives that would encourage the opposition towards a solution but in other instances, there are hardline positions that could be very discouraging. So, I want to keep an open mind on these issues but I made it clear right now we are fast approaching a deadline of September 18, beyond which the Government then would be practising unconstitutional rule; in fact the Government would be unconstitutional totally, period.”
President Granger has been consistent in saying that he remains open to dialogue with the opposition and other groups in finding solutions, even as he maintained that he was committed to free, fair and credible elections. Williams at a forum last week at the Pegasus had argued that the constitution is not fully equipped to deal with snap elections and described the three months laid out, as not mandatory but directory. In this regard, he said government is seeking an extension, which does not necessarily mean another three months; but whatever time needed, for free and fair elections, with a credible register of registrants, to be held. “There is no limit for the extension, it makes no sense, if you could go to parliament to get the two-thirds, it is clear, that the constitutional actors, have to be engaged; the President, the Parliament, the leader of the Opposition and GECOM.”
Williams said that a return to the National Assembly would be an act in the best interest of the country. Minister Williams, in a recent engagement with the press, explained that because the three-month period for the conduct of elections, following the passage of a no-confidence motion has elapsed, it is now for the parliamentary parties – the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) and the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – to return to the National Assembly and, by a two-thirds majority vote, extend the time.
Meaningful dialogue
Meanwhile, the Guyana Trade Union Congress, in a statement on Friday, said both parties must eschew the thinking of sticking to their guns, noting there is a meeting of irrational aggression versus stoic defiance. “It seems more about grandstanding in the media than engaging in good faith, for which both parties must be held accountable. The absence of meaningful dialogue between the two political forces does not create an environment for progressive deliberations,” the GTUC said.
According to the GTUC whereas the Opposition Leader behaves in a manner to lay full responsibility on the Government, the Leader of the Opposition is himself held equally responsible to help Guyana out of this crisis and not just be concentrated on political mileage. “As a former President for 12 years, leader of a mass-based political party and Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo has a responsibility to the nation, and could cull from all his experiences to put forward a menu of measures that is meaningful and progressive to commence talks on how best these positions can become deliverables. It would serve the nation well to see Mr. Jagdeo performing in this role, and not just playing to the media gallery or his base.” According to the GTUC the Rule of Law still remains our best guideline and recourse in navigating through this testy period, for we are a nation founded on Principles and Laws, and there comes a time when we must put aside political differences for the common good as defined and agreed to by both sides. If our politicians cannot do it, then we the people must provide credible leadership from different quarters to bring them to the table of reasoning.
