Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, has accepted the February 2020 timeline of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for new elections and has called on his supporters to “get registered” during the upcoming Claims and Objections period.

“Whilst we’re disappointed with the date–we believe that elections should have been held before the end of the year — we are going to work to ensure that they’re held, hopefully at the end of February…we will continue to prepare for elections from the PPP side by ensuring people get registered when the Claims and Objections come about. I want to urge everyone to get registered in that period because that will be a legal and a constitutional process,” he said during a press conference hosted on Thursday.

His remarks came hours after GECOM Chair, (Ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh communicated with the President that the Commission can facilitate credible general and regional elections by the end of February. He stated that the Opposition is now going to watch the Commission with an “eagle’s eye” to ensure that it sticks to the timelines laid out.

However, Jagdeo noted that he is “bothered” that the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and People’s National Congress (PNC) “seemed to have gotten their way”. He said he is “extremely disappointed” but will concede as the President is no longer waiting on the Commission to make a decision.

Opposition Leader also told the media: “I have great faith in the fairness and the impartiality of the Chair of GECOM and I don’t think that she will do anything to rig the elections.” In the meanwhile, he announced that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will be taking its “message of hope for all of Guyana” filled with “policies of the future” in the months ahead.