Dear Editor
THE Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) rejects the statement by the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union that Guyana’s APNU+AFC coalition government is in breach of the Guyana constitution, because elections were not held by September 18, 2019. This is an arbitrary date fixed by the political opposition PPP. It has no basis in law.

CGID condemns this blatant breach of Guyana’s sovereignty by the US, UK and EU, as well as deplores their nefarious interference in Guyana’s internal affairs. We also strongly denounce their apparent coordination with the opposition, which can potentially engender political instability and undermine our democracy. This display of prejudice by the missions will diminish the respect and trust the Guyanese people repose in these foreign governments.

The assertion that the Government of Guyana is in breach of the constitution is false, irresponsible and baseless. CGID therefore challenges the missions to cite the authority they used as the basis for their misguided and provocative statement, which is contemptuous of the Guyanese people and political process.

It is grossly hypocritical for missions of the United States and the United Kingdom particularly, to presume to lecture the Guyana government and people about constitutional compliance when their individual governments are currently being challenged in court for violating their nations’ constitutions. In fact, on September 11, 2019, the Scottish Appeal Court – the Inner House of the Court of Sessions– ruled that suspension of the British Parliament by the British government is unconstitutional. Such a matter demands the attention of the British Government and its representatives who now seek to collude and cast aspersions with respect to a matter that has been fully ventilated in Guyana’s highest courts. Thus, we urge these parties to get their own houses in order.

CGID reiterates that the matters in connection with the December 21, 2018 no-confidence motion were fully ventilated at the Guyana Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, as well the Caribbean Court of Justice. At no time has any court cited or sanctioned any constitutional violation by the APNU+AFC coalition government. Consequently, it is remarkable that these missions have seemingly embraced an invention of the political opposition.

Guyana’s political and electoral processes and national destiny shall be determined solely by the people of Guyana and not foreign governments. CGID therefore calls on the U.S., British and EU Missions to cease interfering in Guyana’s internal affairs; respect Guyana’s sovereignty and maintain neutrality with regard to Guyana’s politics.
Regards
Rickford Burke
Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID)