After much pressure by the international community, civil society and the Opposition in Guyana, caretaker President David Granger has issued two proclamations for the holding of General and Regional Elections on Monday, March 2, 2020.
In a statement from the Ministry of the Presidency on Monday evening, it was stated that “the President, by the power vested in him by Article 61 of the Constitution of Guyana to, by proclamation, appoint the day for an election under Article 60 (2) appoints 2nd March 2020 as the day on which an election of members of the National Assembly shall be held.”
The Constitution at Article 61 states: “An election of members of the National Assembly under Article 60 (2) shall be held on such day within three months after every dissolution of Parliament as the President shall appoint by proclamation.”
According to the release, similarly, Granger has proclaimed March 2, 2020, “the same day as appointed under Article 61 of the Constitution for the holding of elections of members of the National Assembly, as the day on which elections of members of the Regional Democratic Councils shall be held”.
Article 73 (2) of the Constitution states: “Elections of members of Regional Democratic Councils shall be held and the councils shall be dissolved at such times as, subject to paragraph (3), the President may appoint by proclamation.”
On September 25, in his address to the nation, Granger had announced that after discussions with Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chairman, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, the earliest possible date for the holding of General and Regional Elections would be March 2, 2020.
Granger’s proclamation comes as pressure mounted on the caretaker coalition Government from the international community, the Organisation of American States (OAS) being the latest organisation calling for the issuance of a proclamation for the hosting of General and Regional Elections in Guyana next year.
After almost a year of procrastination following his Government’s defeat in a No-Confidence Motion, President Granger last week announced the March 2, 2020 date for elections.
It was only on Monday last that the Commonwealth urged the President to call elections immediately. Similar calls also came from the United States, British and European Union diplomatic representatives.
Given the political situation that existed in Guyana, the silence of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) has been described as disgraceful by former Health Minister, Dr Leslie Ramsammy.
On Monday, Dr Ramsammy said that one of the most frequently asked questions in Guyana today was why Caricom was missing in action and silent as a doorknob.
The notable silence did not go down well with the former Minister, who added that Caricom officials were not really missing in action as they could be seen jetting around the world, showing up everywhere, talking about democracy everywhere except in Guyana, caring nothing whatsoever that democracy was dead in Guyana.
He added that it was “shameful” that Caricom was begging the United Nations to intervene to stop certain nations interfering with Venezuela’s sovereignty, but had not said a word at the UN or in Guyana about the egregious violations of the Constitution in Guyana.
In a rare utterance on the coalition Government’s conduct, Secretary General Irwin LaRocque had said a few months back that Caricom was keeping a close eye on proceedings in Guyana.
