THE Combined Opposition is peeved that the President did not set a date Saturday for the holding of general and regional elections as was expected, despite knowing the implications of making such an announcement. As President Donald Ramotar has painstakingly explained, once a date is set, it will translate into the dissolution of Parliament, which currently still stands suspended under the November prorogation proclamation.

Had he done so on Saturday, it then meant that political parties would have had to kick into campaign mode, which would have spanned the entire Christmas season.
Also, once a proclamation announcing a date is made by the President to go to general and regional elections, constitutionally, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has three months within which to deliver; and the Commission is currently engaged in the seventh cycle of continuous registration, which started on December 1.

The Head of State was clear that a date for the early return to the polls will be announced long before the Mashramani celebrations, possibly as early as in his New Year’s Message to the nation, and he reasoned that this way, Guyanese people’s Christmas holidays, less than three weeks away, will not be disrupted.
“I have considered, and I have consulted; and this is my resolve. We will go to elections. I have also since written to the international community, alerting them to the possibility of early elections, and the desire for them to field observer missions,” he said.
However, the leader of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) are insisting that a date be set, now that the intention to move to early general and regional elections has been made clear.
APNU’s General-Secretary Joseph Harmon told the Guyana Chronicle that the President’s announcement gives the Guyanese people nothing to hold on to.
“His announcement is bereft of specifics and all President Donald Ramotar is doing is keeping the country on hold,” he declared, adding that the country was put on “pause” after the November 10 prorogation of Parliament.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Khemraj Ramjattan termed the President’s announcement as farcical.
According to him, the President’s announcement is disappointing and he also contends that Mr. Ramotar is “buying” time.
Ramjattan added that the President’s reasoning is a sham. “The President should call the elections and finish with it,” he declared.
Additionally, GECOM Chairman Dr. Steve Surujbally has repeated that the Commission is ready for a move to early general and regional elections.
Mr. Ramotar’s announcement of a move to general and regional elections comes after his November 18 invitation for dialogue to Leader of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Brigadier (rtd) David Granger was rejected.