GECOM ready for credible elections by February 2020

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, September 19, 2019

Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) ret’d Justice Claudette Singh this morning informed His Excellency President David Granger that the Commission will be ready for the holding of credible general and regional elections at the end of February of next year.

The Head of State today confirmed that he did receive the correspondence and would be holding discussions with his Cabinet on the matter.

“I have received a letter from the Elections Commission Chairman and I shall be meeting my cabinet to discuss that letter,” he had told the media on the sideline of the GMSA event at the Pegasus hotel this morning.

The content of the letter signed by Justice Singh states “given all the objective factors, in addition to the deliberations of the Commission and my most recent consultations with our Secretariat, I have concluded, and take this opportunity to officially inform you, that the Guyana Elections Commission will be able to deliver credible elections by the end of February 2020”.

The Head of State had always maintained that it is the elections body that is solely responsible for the holding of elections.  While the political opposition continued its blustering, President Granger, at every forum reinforced that he will only act on the advice from GECOM.

Today, he was again resolute that the elections body must carry out its functions, free from interference and reiterated too that his administration continues to uphold the tenants of the law.

“I am not in breach of the Constitution. As far as I am concerned, in Guyana, the government is complying with the Constitution. I have said what I have about the receipt of advice from the Chairman of the Commission. It is impossible for the Executive to run the elections. I will not print ballot papers, I will not train returning officers, I will not detail polling stations. This is the job of an agency, let the agency do its work,” he told the media.

With the timeframe now set by the elections body, the President, based on the Constitution, will decide on a date for the elections.

Meanwhile, the Head of State responded to the diplomatic community, stating requesting that they allow the affairs of the country to be run by the players here.

“I will advise the foreign delegations to allow the government of Guyana to resolve the issues. I have heard from the Chairman of the commission and I am very confident that the chairman, a very prudent and sober retired judge will recommend to me a date which the Guyanese people are prepared to accept.”