Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has restated his party’s position that after March 21, 2019, the Coalition Government will be deemed illegal and will be treated as such. He also accused the administration of conspiring with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to rig the next general and regional elections which was constitutionally due by March 21 2019, following its defeat via a no-confidence vote last December.
According to Jagdeo, the move to replace the current voters’ list through House-to-House registration is the reason for his claims that there are plans to rig the upcoming polls.
The Opposition Leader told a press conference on Wednesday that his party has made several proposals to put certain safeguards in place. But he maintained that the current voters list which is due to expire on April 30 could be used for the next elections instead.
Jagdeo maintained that the call for House-to-House registration will not ensure that more people are on the list and have a clean election; it is merely to delay election and to give more time to the APNU/AFC Government.
Making reference to the recent news that GECOM will only be able to hold elections in late November, Jagdeo said it points to another act of conspiracy between the Government and GECOM.
However, the former Guyanese head of state has made a commitment to ensure that the PPP will continue to pile pressure on the David Granger-led administration, through peaceful protests.
President David Granger has claimed that he was “constrained” from naming a date for elections because GECOM has not provided adequate information about its readiness for holding elections.
Referring to recent meetings with GECOM Commissioners, Granger had said he did not receive the guidance he needs to proclaim a date for elections. According to the President, it would be “reckless” for him to announce a date for elections without being satisfied that the Commission can guarantee credible elections.
Granger has since called for collaboration, noting that he is prepared to do his part to ensure credible elections are held within “the shortest time possible” in 2019. But he made it clear that such decisions are not his alone.
Meanwhile, when asked what would be the position with Government Ministers after March 21, 2019 Harmon said the Government remains in office and the Government is made up of the Ministers and as such you cannot have a Government without Ministers.
“Well I think we have made that very clear that the President (David Granger) remains the President until such time that there are new elections held and that the Government remains in office until such time that new elections are held. The March 21st matter is a constitutional matter which is being addressed. As you know the President has called upon the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to provide him with their work plan that will determine when (or) what is the shortest possible date that they can deliver credible elections in Guyana.”
“I believe that yesterday (Tuesday) the (GECOM) Chairman wrote to the President pointing out certain things and I can give you the assurance that the President will act on that advice in a short space of time,” he added.
According to Harmon, “Some people try to make a distinction and it is an improper distinction to make to say that the Ministers are no longer Ministers, they remain Ministers as well until such time that there is new elections and that they also will be replaced by persons who are identified on a list submitted by the winning (Political) party to the Parliament of Guyana and from that list is extracted new Ministers. It is these Ministers who will have to be working with the Permanent Secretaries who are there in the office that will have to give an account for their stewardship that will have to hand over to any new Ministers that actually come in”.
With regards to the meeting that US President Donald Trump is expected to have with Caribbean leaders on Friday, Harmon said he was not sure if Guyana has been invited.
