…Barticians urged to reject ‘rushed elections’

…PM, Jordan, Harmon renew calls for new registration

GUYANESE must stand up for their right not only to vote but to do so through free, fair and credible elections.

This was the message of Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Finance Minister, Winston Jordan and Director General in the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon to residents of Bartica during a multi-ministry outreach on Tuesday.

Speaking to residents at the Bartica Community Centre Ground, the Prime Minister explained that the recent ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) means that elections must soon be held. However, he stated that the country’s major parties will now have to decide whether they will return to Parliament to extend the 90-day constitutional timeline for General and Regional Elections. The Constitution gives a 90-day timeline for the holding of elections following the successful passage of a no-confidence motion.

However, the Coalition Government does not believe that elections can move forward without the conduct of house-to-house registration coupled with the fact that the current voter’s list expired on April 30, 2019. Like President David Granger, who has spoken of the same, many others in and out of government have highlighted the flaws of the current voter’s list. “You cannot go into an election without a voter’s list; right now we do not have a voter’s list. The voter’s list expired on the 30th of April and, therefore, you have to have new registration and irrespective of how the Caribbean Court of Justice rules on this matter, it would be improper to force upon the people of Guyana that they go to the polls to elect a government without a voter’s list,” the Prime Minister said.

He stated further that a great battle, therefore, lies ahead as citizens must now defend their democratic right to vote in a credible and fair process.
“If there is no registration, there will be no elections; that is your democratic right,” Nagamootoo said to the crowd’s approval.
“You have to fight for that right to defend your right to vote in the elections. The young people who turned 18 since the last elections, their names are not on that voter’s list and anyone who calls for the elections without our young people being on that voter’s list, they are calling for trouble.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo remained unmoved in his push for elections within a three-month period. “We are reasonable but we are not giving into anything that will run counter to the Constitution and the law,” he stated.

However, 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 no less than two-thirds of the votes of all elected members of the National Assembly determine and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election.”

Still addressing the crowd which gathered at the community ground, the Prime Minister stated that the coalition government has been fighting for the right of Guyanese since it entered office in 2015. One such example, he noted, is the current fight for Guyanese to remain the beneficiaries of their own resources; one such issue between Guyana and Venezuela regarding the border controversy is before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

He also highlighted the fight of the government, against all odds, to save the sugar industry from total collapse while working in the interest of those directly involved in the sector. The Prime Minister stated that this was made most challenging with the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) having stacked up a debt of over $80B at the Guyana Sugar Corporation.

Meanwhile, regarding the Guyana-Venezuela controversy, he reminded that Jagdeo was the one who proposed to give Venezuela part of Guyana’s territory in the name of peace. With Guyana heading into ‘first oil’ in 2020, the Prime Minister stated that it would be perilous to replace the country into the hands of the opposition which often displays questionable motives and intentions. “We are entitled to complete our term of five years in government but they have conspired to remove our government unlawfully. They have conspired with others to remove us to buy and corrupt people within the coalition because they cannot wait to put their filthy fingers in the ‘cookie jar’,” he told the gathering.

He assured Barticans that all of Guyana can have confidence that a “cohesive team” is working in their best interest. He then urged them not to trade in this “quality team for unknowns”. Nagamootoo asserted: “We are warriors and we are prepared for the fight, we are prepared for the challenge and this government will remain in office.”

Best PM
Meanwhile, addressing the audience, Harmon first gave his respects to the Prime Minister, hailing him as “the best Prime Minister we have had in this country for the last 27 years”. He also stated that the coalition government is proud of its democratic system of electing leaders and he is fully confident that those at the helm are fit to serve there.
“We are proud of our Prime Minister. We are proud of our coalition partners and we are proud of the process which produces our leaders in our coalition. We are proud of it. This is democracy at work,” he said, adding: “This coalition government, under David Arthur Granger, is the best thing that could have happened to Guyana in the longest while. This coalition government will be in office after the next elections is called.”

The audience cheered in agreement and more so when Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, later reminded them the ruling of the no-confidence motion as passed is a mere hurdle in the government’s upward progressions. He made it clear to the gathering that the “no-confidence motion was about oil”, even as he urged residents to be on guard for the Opposition’s campaign promises which he said would soon begin rolling out.

No way!

“Be warned! They are going to come to you and they will make all kinds of promises, it has already started [with lines such as] 50,000 jobs here, reopening that sugar estate there…are you going to trust those people?” he asked, to which the crowd bellowed “no way”.
With the opposition’s focus on bypassing house-to-house registration which could exclude hundreds of thousands of persons, Jordan said “We can only go to elections if GECOM says they’re ready, so don’t let nobody tell you anything. I’m putting the police on notice…your intelligence has to be upgraded because already they’re talking about bringing people on the streets and ‘fight’ and violence and so on,” he said, adding: “No registration, no election…elections will be free, fair and proper!” At the event, Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally, distributed over 25 bicycles to school children; a sewing machine and farming tools to the National Council of Women (NCW) as well as sports gear.