…but has “great faith in GECOM Chair to deliver credible polls”
Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday expressed disappointment with the proposed February 2020 elections timeline decided on by the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
However, he noted that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will work towards ensuring elections are held no later than February 2020.
According to Jagdeo, he is disappointed in the fact that the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission has indicated this timeline to the President when she had only last week said that they are working towards a timeline before the end of the year.
“We’re extremely disappointed with this date but happy that the excuse (that he is waiting for GECOM to advise him before naming a date for elections) taken away from the President,” Jagdeo said.
Nevertheless, the Opposition Leader contended that while the party does not agree with her timeline, it still has faith and confidence in the GECOM Chair’s ability to deliver credible elections.
“I have great faith in the fairness and impartiality in the chair of GECOM. I don’t think she will do anything to rig the elections”.
Jagdeo said he empathises with the GECOM Chair, whom he said is under severe pressure because she has to work with an Elections Commission that is unreliable as well as with commissioners on the government’s side who constantly tries to delay the holding of the elections.
“She has to rely on a Secretariat that is unreliable at best …We hope the date is in February itself,” Jagdeo added.
