Poll date: President Granger tells foreign diplomats to allow Govt to resolve issue

In response to the strongly worded statement by the foreign powers on Thursday that the Guyana government is in breach of the country’s Constitution, President David Granger has maintained that this is not the case and called on the diplomats to allow the government to resolve the political issues.
Following his address at the Luncheon hosted by the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown, Granger said that it is the mandate of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to advise him on when the commission would be able to hold the elections.
He explained that he will be in more breach of the constitution if he allows the Executive to intervene in the work of the Commission. “The Constitution is very clear on the functions of the Commission…I cannot set a date for elections unless I receive advice that the Commission is ready,” he said in response to the concerns expressed by diplomats.
The President said that he intends to meet with his ‘Cabinet’ immediately to discuss the latest political developments and would only act once he is advised accordingly.
The United Kingdom, United States and the European Union, in a joint statement on Thursday, said that the Guyana government has breached the constitution by not calling general and regional elections before September 18 following the passage of the no-confidence motion and subsequent court rulings.
“We deeply regret that, by surpassing September 18, the Government is currently in breach of the Constitution following its failure to adhere to the decisions of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on 18 June and its subsequent orders,” they said in a joint statement.
The Chairperson of GECOM Justice Claudette Singh has indicated to President Granger that the entity will be ready for elections by the end of February 2020.
President Granger will now have to announce a date for elections and dissolve parliament.
Elections were constitutionally due since March 21, 2019 – following the passage of the no-confidence motion against the government on December 21, 2018.
Leading People’s Progressive Party (PPP) supporters on Thursday disrupted the President during his address at the GMSA luncheon calling him out for disregarding the constitutional provisions.