– says PPP will reduce street protests

OPPOSITION Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, has said the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will work towards the March 2, 2020 date which President David Granger said is the earliest possible time for the holding of General and Regional Elections.
“We are disappointed, but we have to work towards that date,” said Jagdeo during a press briefing at his Church Street Office, on Thursday.

The opposition leader said although the party has its doubts about the date being definitive, he is ready to work towards that date.

“We are happy that we are moving forward and the PPP will start aggressively to campaign and protect the country from being polarised,” said Jagdeo.
Prior to the announcement of a possible date for elections, the opposition had threatened to conduct protest actions daily but Jagdeo said the PPP will reduce street protests since there is progress in the selection of a date.

Although the PPP plans to work towards the date for elections, Jagdeo maintained that the party will not return to the National Assembly to extend the life of the government.
President Granger has said the elections will go ahead with or without the extension of the life of his government.

Article 106 (7) of the Constitution states, “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election 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, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election”.
As such, the President said the extension of a period beyond three months for the holding of an election is related to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)’s readiness to hold the elections.

“The return to parliament is wholly unnecessary since the government is in caretaker mode and its only authority should be to do everything necessary for elections,” said Jagdeo.
It was reported that Guyanese will likely head to the polls on Monday, March 2, 2020. President David Granger, in an address to the nation on Wednesday evening stated: “I am pleased to announce that… the earliest possible date for the holding of General and Regional Elections will be on Monday, March 2, 2020.”

The announcement followed extensive discussions with the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh and the Cabinet. It also comes approximately one week after Justice Singh advised the Head of State that the Elections Secretariat will have all systems in place to facilitate free, fair and credible elections by the end of February 2020.

“I engaged the Elections Commission from February 2019 repeatedly. I insisted that credible elections be held at the earliest possible time. Credible elections are essential to representative democracy,” said President Granger.

He told the nation that it could now look to the Elections Commission to conduct credible elections within the timeframe prescribed. Guyana, President Granger said, is on the right path to preserve its precious parliamentary democracy.