Civil society leaders convene emergency meeting over political impasse

People’s Progressive Party (PPP) leaders on Friday met with representatives of a broad cross-section of civil society over the current political impasse that has embroiled the country—described as coup de tat of Guyana’s democratic principles.

Executive members Gail Teixeira and Bishop Juan Edghill met with representatives of the business community, religious organisations, trade union and other non-government organisations at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition to brief them on what “we know that is taking place”.
Teixeira subsequently told media operatives that it was related to the representatives that “we face the worst threat that we have ever had to our democracy”.
Explaining the rationale behind the meeting, Edghill—a former Junior Finance Minister under the PPP administration—told media representatives that apart from what is already being published and broadcast, the Party wanted to continue with its practice of consultations with stakeholders and to “ensure that they participate”.
Teixeira in her remarks said while the PPP was heartened by the statement by the international community and observers, “as Guyanese, regardless of political affiliation, we have a moral and ethical duty to stand up for moral and ethical issues and for what is right”.
She said the current brouhaha engulfing the country was not partisan matter but rather “a national issue”.
The PPP Chief Whip told members of the media that it was not a case where the group met to issue the joint position taken since each organisation will now, following internal reviews, release individual position statements.
She used the opportunity to also remind that Friday was, in fact, was the death anniversary of its Founding Member, the late Cheddi Jagan, and pointed to the irony of still having to be talking about defending democracy and the Constitution on that day.
Edghill concluded by calling on the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh, to abide by the Oath of Office taken when she promised to uphold the Constitution and the law, especially “in light of the saga of yesterday (Thursday) events”.
He said too that traditionally, at this point after an election, there would be messages of congratulations pouring in from Heads of States and other international bodies but the messages being received this time around, are more akin to warnings that Guyana is heading on dangerous grounds.