Govt continues to function in full capacity – Jagdeo

Despite CCJ orders

…advises President to dissolve Parliament

Despite orders from the Caribbean Court of Justice that Guyana’s Government is in caretaker mode following their defeat after the No-Confidence Motion, operations have continued as though they are acting in full capacity.

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday stated that while Government has acknowledged their position as an interim Administration, they are yet to abide by those lines and are, therefore, infringing the ruling.
Speaking at his weekly press conference, the Opposition Leader said that while the President has accepted that his Administration is a caretaker Government, they have continued to function in the same manner that they did before they were given a caretaker status by the CCJ. “Further, in open defiance also of the CCJ’s ruling, they continue to say that the Cabinet is not resigning when the Constitution says that and the CCJ orders that the Cabinet and President must resign. That is one area where they have decided not to obey the decision of the CCJ,” said Jagdeo.
In handing down the consequential order on July 12, CCJ President Adrian Saunders had outlined that the Cabinet, including the President, should have already been resigned, thus, reaffirming that the APNU/AFC coalition is, in fact, and should be in a caretaker mode leading up to elections.

The CCJ outlined that Article 106 (6) and (7) of the Constitution of Guyana must be honoured.
The clauses read that “The Cabinet including the President shall resign if the Government is defeated by the vote of a majority of all the elected members of the National Assembly on a vote of confidence.” And “Notwithstanding its defeat, the Government shall remain in office and shall hold an election within three months, or such longer period as the National Assembly shall by resolution supported by not less than two-thirds of the votes of all the elected members of the National Assembly determine, and shall resign after the President takes the oath of office following the election”.
A caretaker Government is tasked only with the routine management of the country and makes necessary preparations for the holding of elections and according to Jagdeo, Cabinet meetings, ministerial outreaches and the passage of bills must stop.
“Every time they mention about Cabinet briefing and Cabinet meetings etc, it means that they are acting illegally…I’ve seen Basil Williams continue to speak as though the President could set the date at will and that he can wait on GECOM’s advice. That is what the argument was before the ruling…We asked that they treat June 18, the date that the ruling of the CCJ was made, and start the count from there,” he said.
As such, Jagdeo added, that true acceptance of the court’s pronouncement would mean the dissolution of Parliament and preparations for Claims and Objections to produce a clean voters’ list.
“The position is that the Government must comply with the ruling of the CCJ and he must dissolve Parliament. That brings us closer to the elections. GECOM must prepare for elections. They must prepare for a period of Claims and Objections which will allow those who are not on the list to get on the list….This is what should happen now, nothing else.”
Both sides had several meetings over the past two weeks to “hammer out” names for the position of a GECOM Chairman. The Opposition Leader is duly responsible for selecting six nominees for the post but it must be “not unacceptable” by the President. That process is still under discussion with four names of 18 submitted by the Opposition Leader which were “not unacceptable” to the President. The Opposition Leader has since submitted an additional four names for consideration.