The United States of America Ambassador to Guyana, Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch, United Kingdom High Commissioner to Guyana, H.E. Greg Quinn and the Head of Delegation of the European Union to Guyana, H.E. Ambassador Fernando Ponz Cantó have all hailed the announcement of the date for elections by President David Granger.

In a terse statement the diplomats said it is now essential to ensure free and fair elections which we are pleased to support with elections assistance and monitoring along with other colleagues in the international community.

For their part the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association Limited also welcomes the announcement by President Granger of the date for the holding of the elections.

“In this vein we take the opportunity to acknowledge the support of the Opposition Leader of the date. We now look forward to an incident free process toward the holding of a free, transparent and credible elections,” the GMSA. The Private Sector Commission also congratulated the President on announcing a firm date for the holding of National and Regional elections on March 2, 2020. “The PSC is pleased that the Leader of the Opposition has accepted this date. We look forward now to all of our political parties contesting free, fair and peaceful elections.”

President Granger, on Thursday, confirmed that General and Regional Elections will be held on Monday March 2, 2020. In his address to the nation on Wednesday, the Head of State said based on discussions with the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission

(GECOM), Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh and his Cabinet, the earliest possible date for the conduct of elections would be March 2, 2019. Moments later, former Attorney General and People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Executive Member, Anil Nandlall, said the President fell short of proclaiming a date for elections, and merely informed the nation of the earliest possible date. But President Granger, on the sideline of an event at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) on Thursday, removed all doubts. “Elections will be held on the 2nd March, that was the advice I received,” he told reporters.

The President explained that he did not use “more definitive terms” on the basis that both the Government and the Opposition would be required, under the Constitution, to return to the National Assembly for an extension of the timeline for elections. Article 106 (7) mandates that elections be held within three months of a No-Confidence Motion, or within an extended period approved by two-thirds of the National Assembly.

As a consequence, the government will return to the National Assembly when it reconvenes in October to ask for an extension. But President Granger made it clear that failure by the Opposition to endorse such a motion will not affect the conduct of the General and Regional Elections. “If the Opposition doesn’t go to parliament, we will abide by what I said last night, elections will be held on the 2nd March; that is as definitive as I can get,” President Granger said.

The President noted that he was guarded in his remarks, so as to allow for GECOM to publicise its work schedule. “It is not my duty or my intention to micromanage the process or to say things which the Commission could implement,” he posited.

Nonetheless, President Granger said he is satisfied with the assurance given particularly for the production or extraction of a credible list of electors. “I am satisfied that the Commission is confident that the extended claims and objections period would allow all of the electors to indicate whether there are any claims and objections. I am satisfied, that is the assurance I have been given by the Chairman of the Commission,” he said.
35 days for C&O

Last Tuesday, GECOM took a decision to commence Claims and Objections from October 1, 2019 for a period of 35 days. It will also solicit help from the US and Commonwealth for the provision of advisers for the elections, so as to allow for free, fair and credible elections. It is expected that GECOM will be fully prepared for elections by the end of February, 2020, in keeping with the advice given to President Granger by its Chairman, Justice Singh. Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, on Thursday, said though he is not entirely satisfied with the February 2020 timeframe given by GECOM or the March 2 elections date proclaimed by the President, his party– the People’s Progressive Party– is prepared to work with those timelines.

Early elections in Guyana were triggered when, on December 21, 2018, the Parliamentary Opposition – the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) – secured a one-seat majority in the House to defeat the government on a Motion of No-Confidence. Now recalled Member of Parliament, Charrandass Persaud, had used his vote in the House to support the Motion, thereby giving the Opposition an edge over the government in the 65 Member National Assembly.

The No-Confidence Motion was upheld by the High Court on January 31, 2019 but on March 22, 2019, the Court of Appeal, by a 2-1 majority, invalidated the motion on the basis that an absolute majority was not acquired although the Opposition had secured an extra vote to defeat the government. It was not until June 18, 2019 that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – Guyana’s final appellate court – validated the No- Confidence Motion.