MEETINGS with the three major political parties wrapped up yesterday, according to the Canadian High Commissioner, Dr Nicole Giles.“We have been meeting with several stakeholders to address opportunities to support free and fair elections,” she told the Guyana Chronicle in an invited comment.

Giles disclosed that the Canadian High Commission met with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), the ruling People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
The last meeting, she said, was with the Alliance For Change (AFC), which was held yesterday.
The Canadian High Commissioner made clear that Canada is committed to working with GECOM, all political parties and civil society to support free, fair and peaceful elections on 11 May, 2015.
“Canada is hopeful that the upcoming electoral process will allow the Guyanese people to debate the important issues that are facing the country,” she said at a public forum yesterday.
Giles added that the Guyanese people have an important role to play in the electoral process.
“The right to vote is the most significant representation of a citizen’s participation in the governance of their country,” the Canadian representative said.
Giles added that voting is a right, a duty and an opportunity, for all Guyanese
“Canada remains committed to the Americas and is working with its partners to increase economic opportunity, strengthen security and institutions, and foster lasting relationships. We are promoting freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law by strengthening the professionalism and accountability of public institutions – including elections management bodies,” Giles stressed

EARLY ELECTIONS
The move to early elections resulted from the fact that the objectives of prorogation – in face of a no-confidence motion against the Government and the consequent dissolution of Parliament – failed in the opinion of the current Administration.
Given the postures of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC), President Ramotar has always maintained that the need for dialogue was uppermost in his mind when he made his decision to prorogue Parliament on November 10.
Paving the way for greater dialogue among political parties, he contended, would have kept the 10th Parliament alive to address critically important issues currently before the House.
The effect of ending the first session of the 10th Parliament by way of prorogation is the suspension of the business of the National Assembly. As a result of that move, the AFC-sponsored No-Confidence motion was not considered. Also, APNU had, prior to November 10, signalled its intention to support the motion.
Had it not been for the proclamation to prorogue Parliament, if the no-confidence motion had been approved by the political Opposition, Guyana would have been headed to early general elections within three months. However, President Ramotar had made it clear that if these efforts proved futile, there would be a move to early general elections.
Since the prorogation, APNU and the AFC have made it clear that they will not engage the President in talks unless the prorogation is lifted and parliamentary work resumes. The rejection of talks was also formally communicated by APNU Leader Brigadier (rtd) David Granger in a December 2 letter responding to the President’s November 18 invitation for talks.
As a result, the Head of State early last December indicated that Guyana will head to early General and Regional Elections, just over three years since the November 2011 polls.