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March 13 2019

Source

The Ministry of the Presidency today said that President David Granger has written to the Guyana Elections Commission urging it to present a work programme in the shortest possible time to guide his proclamation of a date for general elections.

It is unclear what such a letter will achieve to break a deadlock at GECOM where the government-appointed commissioners are insisting on house-to-house registration, which can take elections all the way next year,  while the opposition-appointed commissioners are insisting that April 30th this year be the outer day.

After March 21st, without an extension by Parliament for general elections to be held, the government would be considered to be illegal.

A release from the Ministry of the Presidency follows:

President calls on GECOM to submit work programme soonest

–         programme vital to determine Commission’s readiness for elections

Georgetown, Guyana – (March 13, 2019) President David Granger, this morning, wrote to Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice (Ret’d) James Patterson requesting that the Commission presents him with a work programme in the shortest possible time.

In his missive to Justice Patterson, the President noted it is essential that he is informed of the Commission’s readiness to deliver credible elections in Guyana.

“I urge you to present your plans, programmes and financial needs which will guide my proclamation of a suitable date for elections,” the Head of State said in his correspondence to Justice Patterson.

Since the passage of the ‘no confidence motion’ against the Government, President Granger has twice consulted with Opposition Leader, Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo.  He also consulted the Chairman and Commissioners of GECOM.

The Head of State has emphasised that the Government of Guyana will not interfere or intrude in the work of the Commission.

Last week, the President invited the Commission to a meeting to discuss issues related to the hosting of General and Regional Elections this year. 

“Let me make one thing clear. The Government is in no way interfering or intruding in the constitutional role and duty of the Commission.  It is for the Commission to advise me that it is ready and I will then proclaim a date.  Naturally, I will like to proclaim a date that is sanctioned by the National Assembly and the Constitution, but we have not intruded in the work of the Commission and we are prepared to support the Commission in what it has been doing.  It is not for me to overrule the Commission,” President Granger said in a statement following the meeting.

He maintained that “the Commission is independent. It is not for anybody to give the Commission instructions as to when elections are to be held.  Once the Commission says it is ready, I will announce a date and I hope that date is as early as possible.”

Article 62 of the Constitution of Guyana states that “Elections shall be independently supervised by the Election [s] Commission in accordance with the provisions of Article 162.” 

Article 161 A (1) says “the Elections Commission shall be responsible for the efficient functioning of the Secretariat of the Commission, which shall comprise the officers and employees of the Commission, and for the appointment of all the staff to the offices  thereof inclusive of all temporary staff, recruited for the purposes of boundary demarcation, registration or persons and elections and shall have the power to remove and exercise disciplinary control over such staff.”

Article 161 (B) makes the role of the political parties and their nominees in the conduct of elections by the Elections Commission clear.  It says that “the role of political parties and their nominees in the conduct of elections by the Elections Commission shall be limited to their participation in determining policy, monitoring the electoral process and the conduct of the election, but does not include active management of the electoral process”. 

Moreover, Article 162 (1) of the Constitution speaks to the Commission having functions connected with or relating to the registration of electors or the conduct of elections as are conferred upon it by or under the Constitution, or subject to any Act of Parliament, and to the provisions of the Constitution, the Commission “shall exercise general direction and supervision over the registration of electors and the administrative conduct of all elections of members of the National Assembly and shall issue such instructions and take such action as appear to it necessary or expedient to ensure impartiality, fairness and compliance with the provisions of this Constitution or any Act of Parliament on the part of persons exercising powers or performing duties connected with or relating to the matters aforesaid.”

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Django posted:

President calls on GECOM to provide work programme to enable election date

March 13 2019,  Source

A release from the Ministry of the Presidency follows:

President calls on GECOM to submit work programme soonest

–         programme vital to determine Commission’s readiness for elections

Georgetown, Guyana – (March 13, 2019) President David Granger, this morning, wrote to Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice (Ret’d) James Patterson requesting that the Commission presents him with a work programme in the shortest possible time.

In his missive to Justice Patterson, the President noted it is essential that he is informed of the Commission’s readiness to deliver credible elections in Guyana.

“I urge you to present your plans, programmes and financial needs which will guide my proclamation of a suitable date for elections,” the Head of State said in his correspondence to Justice Patterson.

Since December 21, 2018, Granger has now - March 13, 2019 - realized the need for an election.

FM
Last edited by Former Member
ksazma posted:

Granger should have written to GECOM since December 22, 2018. Instead he just sat on his evil lazy ass until nine days before the elections deadline.

He not lazy, he sk0nting around with Jaggy!  That Grainjah is a slick MFer!!

Baseman
Gilbakka posted:
Nehru posted:

The DUMMY finally catching sense!!

No. He is foolishly hiding under Patterson's coattail to name a date after March 21.

Just as you foolishly hide under Jagdeo every time he pretends that he wants black support.

Here is why he wants black support.  Because he is afraid that unless he gets at least 35 seats he might suffer the same fate if someone pulls an NCV on him.  And he can only get this if he gets more of the black/mixed vote.

But until he and you tell black people why their opinion of the PPP should change that isnt likely to happen.  And this will only change when the PPP confronts the reason why they are despised by the vast majority of the black/mixed vote. 

His NCV stunt in fact has consolidated this bloc behind the coalition even when a few weeks before they expressed their frustration with that group. Even Jagdeo had to admit this when he said that he was told that even as many blacks didn't plan to vote Coalition they couldn't bring themselves to vote PPP.

The PPP needs to understand that winning an election without resolving the ethnic distrust means that they aren't going to govern effectively. One cannot do so when almost 50% of the population see every act of theirs with distrust and disgust.

Their focus needs to shift from winning elections to figuring out how to govern Guyana and it can only do so if our politics stops being a low keyed tribal war.

FM

The looks of this lady face tells a lot 

Hours after criminal charges against Gecom officials and meeting with the US Ambassador... Granger request a short possible time for election.. very interesting. 

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FM
caribny posted:
 

Their focus needs to shift from winning elections to figuring out how to govern Guyana and it can only do so if our politics stops being a low keyed tribal war.

Cribby bai, why do you beseech Guyana's politics stop being a low keyed tribal war when you yourself seem unable to stop getting into a low keyed tribal war. Race occupies way too much of your discourse on GNI. 

FM
Dave posted:

Hours after criminal charges against Gecom officials and meeting with the US Ambassador... Granger request a short possible time for election.. very interesting. 

There are no criminal charges filed against GECOM. It's a PPP attempt to prevent GECOM from holding a count of the electorate that has caused them to try to get the court to charge GECOM with a crime. But it has no standing in law.

Mr.T
Mr.T posted:
Dave posted:

Hours after criminal charges against Gecom officials and meeting with the US Ambassador... Granger request a short possible time for election.. very interesting. 

There are no criminal charges filed against GECOM. It's a PPP attempt to prevent GECOM from holding a count of the electorate that has caused them to try to get the court to charge GECOM with a crime. But it has no standing in law.

Now you are GNI law expert.

FM
Zed posted:

This is all a smoke and mirror strategy, delay the election until 2020 while pretending to now want movement towards it. An excuse of a government and a government of excuses.

Might be true but which party should be in government..the same one the majority of the country (who were not bribed) voted out?

cain
skeldon_man posted:
Mr.T posted:
Dave posted:

Hours after criminal charges against Gecom officials and meeting with the US Ambassador... Granger request a short possible time for election.. very interesting. 

There are no criminal charges filed against GECOM. It's a PPP attempt to prevent GECOM from holding a count of the electorate that has caused them to try to get the court to charge GECOM with a crime. But it has no standing in law.

Now you are GNI law expert.

It finally dawning on you that I man smarter than anyone from Skeldon?

Mr.T
cain posted:
Zed posted:

This is all a smoke and mirror strategy, delay the election until 2020 while pretending to now want movement towards it. An excuse of a government and a government of excuses.

Might be true but which party should be in government..the same one the majority of the country (who were not bribed) voted out?

Bai Cain, the majority of the country will get another opportunity to vote the Coalition back in if the PNC would only allow them to. Like it or not, through an article of Guyana's shitty constitution, the Coalition government fell on December 21, 2018 and becomes illegal on March 21, 2019. There is no other remedy for that except early elections. The PNC should give the voters the chance to chase Jagdeo and his PPP party out again. Unfortunately the PNC doesn't want the voters to vote.

FM
Mr.T posted:
skeldon_man posted:
Mr.T posted:
Dave posted:

Hours after criminal charges against Gecom officials and meeting with the US Ambassador... Granger request a short possible time for election.. very interesting. 

There are no criminal charges filed against GECOM. It's a PPP attempt to prevent GECOM from holding a count of the electorate that has caused them to try to get the court to charge GECOM with a crime. But it has no standing in law.

Now you are GNI law expert.

It finally dawning on you that I man smarter than anyone from Skeldon?

Yes, you are the smartest idiot on planet earth, just like Donald. I bet you want to be like Donald Trump when you grow up.

FM

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