OPPOSITION People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) supporters gathered with placards outside of the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) Church Street, Georgetown office on Friday, demanding that government respects the Constitution and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) rulings.

Marching with his placards and chanting various slogans, spokesperson and Former Prime Minister, Sam Hinds, said it has been more than a month since the CCJ ruling and there has been no indication from GECOM or President David Granger regarding when fresh elections will be held.

He also called on PPP supporters to boycott house-to-house registration, deeming it illegal, while noting it is in contravention of rulings and orders of the CCJ.

Hinds noted that the court’s rulings in essence called for the Cabinet to resign and that a date must be fixed for elections on or before September 18, 2019 while Parliament must be dissolved and that the government remains in office merely as a caretaker until those elections are held.

President David Granger, on Thursday, met with members of the diplomatic corps; executives of the private sector and civil society and leaders within the religious community to personally explain Guyana’s current political, the legal actions taken by the government thus far and its intention to usher Guyana into fair, free and credible elections as early as possible.

The representatives met separately in their numbers at the Baridi Benab at State House. There, the President committed to upholding the Constitution; respecting the National Assembly and the courts; ensuring the rule-of-law; safeguarding human and civil rights and preserving democracy.

He gave a detailed review of the legal processes which began with the challenging of the passage of the no-confidence motion in the National Assembly on December 21, 2018 and ended with the ruling of Guyana’s highest appellate court, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

He also spoke to the case of the issue of dual citizenship which also spurred out of the no-confidence motion. With documents to prove the same provided to the representatives, the President stated that at each interval the government has acted in good faith and has complied with the rulings of the three courts involved.

Such intervals highlighted were: meeting the Leader of the Opposition in January 2019; meeting the Elections Commission in March 2019; accepting the resignation of four Cabinet ministers on April 25, 2019 who were dual citizens.

Regarding the latter, President Granger said, “It was very painful, but we obeyed the court.” He also highlighted that he has since made three broadcasts to the nation on the government’s acceptance of the CCJ’s ruling and Consequential Orders and has accepted the resignation of the former GECOM Chairman, Justice(ret’d) James Patterson. The President has also met with the Leader of the Opposition on July 4 and 16 and established a joint government-opposition working group which has already met four times.