CARICOM Leaders fully engaged – President Granger

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, March 12, 2020

His Excellency President David Granger has stated that following their arrival yesterday, the five CARICOM Heads have been fully engaged in dialogue focusing on Guyana’s electoral process.

Speaking to Ariana Gordon Assistant Director of the Ministry of the Presidency’s Public Information and Press Service Unit, the Head of State said the delegation held meetings while here.

HE President David Granger introduces CARICOM Chairman and Barbados Prime Minister, Hon, Mia Mottley to Minister of Social Protection Hon. Amna ally on her arrival at Eugene F. Correia International Airport on March 11.

President David Granger, Chairperson of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Prime Minister of Barbados, the Right Honourable Mia Mottley, Prime Ministers Dr. Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago, Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, Keith Mitchell of Grenada (partially hidden) and Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and CARICOM Secretary-General, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque during today’s meeting. Also pictured, from first left are Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Vice-President and Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, Director General, Ministry of the Presidency, Mr. Joseph Harmon, Minister of State, Mrs. Dawn Hastings-Williams and Barbados’ Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Dale Marshall.

Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit greets HE President David Granger.

“We had meetings up to 01:30 on Thursday morning. So, they were fully engaged, they worked very hard and aimed at getting a solution to the present situation. I would say that it was successful, I was very happy with the outcome.”

He said CARICOM remains committed to working in the best interest of the people of Guyana.

The President noted that one of the highpoints came during a meeting with himself, the Leader of the Opposition and the delegation when it was agreed that the Guyana Elections Commissions (GECOM) remains the constitutional body in the electoral process.

“The two sides, Opposition Leader Bharat Jagdeo and I, President David Granger arrived at an agreement that the process should remain in the Elections Commission and that the commission should meet and decide how to implement the Chief Justice’s ruling,” he disclosed.

The Head of State observed that CARICOM remains committed to working in the best interest of Guyanese noting that the leaders came to Guyana in “earnest.”

“They were committed to working  with Guyana and the stakeholders in Georgetown and the rest of the country to craft a path forward out of the present situation and they were non-intrusive, they engaged that government and the parties in the governing Coalition, the Leader of the Opposition, Observer Missions and other stakeholders.”

The delegation arrived on Wednesday and included CARICOM Chairman and Barbados Prime Minister, Hon, Mia Mottley and Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. Keith Mitchell, Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Rowley and Prime Minister of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit.