– Calls red-herring electoral strategies ‘The Corbin Syndrome’
AT his first press conference for the New Year, held yesterday at the Office of the President, Guyana’s Head-of-State, HE President Bharrat Jagdeo dealt with several issues that have emerged as potential troublespots in this election year. One of the primary concerns expressed by President Jagdeo is the third-term bogey with which leaders of the opposition political parties and some media houses continuously harp on – an issue that the President has consistently declared a non-issue, a position he reiterated once more as he once again denied any interest in a third-term in office.
Among the several red-herring strategies that the opposition is using to create a climate of skepticism and mistrust in the electorate over the impending general election, which heralds a potentially explosive and destructive aftermath, is PNCR leader Robert Corbin’s allegation that the President has been seeking legal advice on the possibility of his pursuing a third-term in office, but President Jagdeo categorically refuted this – again.
The opposition has alleged that a strategy is being used by the Government to create chaos in the land to enable the President to call a state of emergency to delay the elections and thus pave the way for a third-term in office for President Jagdeo
However, alluding to his New Year speech, wherein he declared 2011 as election year, the President confirmed that:  “…there will be no attempt on the part of me and my Government to delay these elections…constitutionally, we have to hold the elections before the 31st December, and they will be held in the constitutional period.”
President Jagdeo declared that, despite the many calls from persons within the PPP/C Party, the business community, some opposition parties, and the wider community during all of his public engagements to run again for office, he has adamantly stated that his response, categorically: “… has been, and is, uniformly ‘No’.  I am not interested in pursuing a third-term.  It was I who signed the new constitution into effect.”
Continuing, the President reiterated that it is his signature on documentation that stipulates term limits and declared that he has to respect the Constitution that he has put in place “—and so I simply have no interest in a third term.”
Pondering on the reason for this issue being intermittently brought to the fore, the President conjectured that it may be because of the driving fear of the opposition, naming Khemraj Ramjattan in particular, along with some opposition media columnists, especially Kaieteur News and the Stabroek News, which the President described as “all being in the same camp”, as “…a morbid, mortal fear on the part of Ramjattan and the others that I may want to contest again.”
According to President Jagdeo, his constant denials provide reassurance to all those who fear to face him on an electoral platform.
Referring to Robert Corbin’s accusation that he (President Jagdeo) had sought legal opinion from three persons as to whether the Constitution can be changed to effect a third-term bid, the President emphatically denied the allegation as being “absolutely untrue.”  He emphasized that he has never sought any legal opinion to extend his tenure in office beyond what is constitutionally correct.
However, the President informed the media that, during a subsequent conversation he had with Chairman of the Elections Commission, Steve Surujbally, he was informed by that gentleman that the Commission had made queries of their legal officers on such a possibility as part of their planning process; which President Jagdeo speculated may have catalyzed further fulminations on the issue by protagonists in the opposition and the media houses that disregard the President’s continuum of assurances and insistently tout this issue.
Stating that he is very upset with the Chairman and the Commission for making such queries, thereby probably giving rise to the current spate of third-term allegations, President Jagdeo stated unequivocally that the Commission should never have second-guessed him, because he made it clear that this is not an issue and queried their reason for seeking a legal opinion about the possibility of a third-term.
“…so if that is what Corbin heard, he is either misled or, as is customary, is misleading….”.  He challenged the leader of the opposition to produce the legal luminaries whom he contended were consulted by the President on the issue.
President Jagdeo coined a description of strategies orchestrated to derail or undermine the electoral processes and the results of general elections when the PNCR loses as “The Corbin Syndrome.”
Responding to Khemraj Ramjattan’s allegation about the Government working out a “deal” with the PNC, the President stated that he has always concurred that the best solution to Guyana’s problems was for all the parties to work together, because he strongly believes in this premise; but he refuted contentions that he will delay elections for such a purpose.
Alluding to strident calls by the opposition parties “…and some elements who say we should delay elections…” for constitutional change, the President vetoed this as a possibility.
In response to a question posed, President Jagdeo confirmed that he is indeed constructing a house in Sparendaam, stating that he will be living in Guyana and desires more privacy than was afforded in his previous house, which he had sold.
PULL QUOTE:
President Jagdeo coined a description of strategies orchestrated to derail or undermine the electoral processes and the results of general elections when the PNCR loses as ‘The Corbin Syndrome’.