LEADER of the United Republican Party, Dr. Vishnu Bandhu, called on newly-elected President, Mohammed Irfaan Ali, to pursue Electoral and Constitutional Reform, as that party and the Liberty Justice Party congratulated him on his ascension to the Presidency.

Also extending congratulatory messages was the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), which called on Ali to begin zoning in on the situation involving public health and the economic impact of the novel coronavirus.

President Ali was officially declared as Guyana’s 9th executive president last Sunday, following the submission of the Elections Report fo the March 2 General and Regional Elections, by the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
The declaration was made by GECOM Chairman, Retired Justice Claudette Singh after she received the report. Ali was sworn in shortly after by Chancellor (ag) of the Judiciary Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).

Ali was the Presidential candidate for the People’s Progressivie Party/ Civic, which obtained 33 seats based on the results of the national recount. The opposing A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) coalition obtained 31 seats, and the joint small parties also picked up a seat.

“We take this opportunity to reaffirm the URP’s unequivocal commitment to the development of our beloved country Guyana. You can count on our absolute support for your efforts. We look forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our friendship and to advance our common objective of building a modern and safe Guyana every Guyanese will be proud of,” the URP said in its statement.
Last Sunday’s declarations brought an end to the lengthened electoral process, which was marred with a number of impeding court cases since the March 2 elections were held.

“That the declaration took this long is a travesty and an event that has caused very serious societal fault lines that the people will now look to the incoming administration to take significant steps to heal,” the LJP said in its statement
The party also alluded to the need for electoral reform, to ensure that, in future cases, the election process is clearer.

“The events leading up to these delayed results are matters that we hope the incoming administration treats with decisively to avoid future such events. We extend our gratitude to all the political parties that fought to defend democracy, the international community and partners, the Guyana Elections Commission and the patient Guyanese population,” the LJP said.

The GCCI, in its message, noted that it looks forward to working with any democratically-elected president.
“The GCCI looks forward to working with H.E. Dr. Ali and the Government of Guyana on the task of nation-building and, in particular, private sector development. However, a number of immediate challenges confront Guyana, foremost of which is the devastating public health and economic impact of the novel coronavirus. The Chamber anticipates a now fully functional Government to comprehensively address this pandemic which has had deleterious effects on the welfare of Guyanese,” the GCCI statement said,

Adding that: “As said previously, the GCCI remains supportive of any government brought to power by the democratic process and will continue to act as a partner in nation-building as we all seek to develop this nation of ours. We anticipate Guyana’s continued development, for the benefit of the people of Guyana.”