CMC – A delegation from the United States-based Carter Center has held talks with government and opposition as well as electoral officials as the country continues to debate whether or not the regional and general elections will be held before mid-2019.
The two Carter representatives – Associate Director, Brett Lacy and the Legal and Electoral Advisor Anne Marlborough – met with members of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as part of an “exploratory mission” to gather information on preparations for the holding of the elections as a result of the successful motion of no confidence that brought down the David Granger coalition administration.
No details of the meetings have been released here and the Ministry of the Presidency released two photographs informing that the meeting was held.
The photographs showed Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who is also chairman of the coalition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) leading the delegation to the discussions.
The main opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has been calling for the general election to be held on March 19 in keeping with the Guyana constitution following the successful tabling of the motion of no confidence on December 21, last year.
PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo has also accused GECOM of engaging in tactics aimed at stalling the polls, but electoral officials say that it is unlikely that the polls could be held during the 90 day period following the motion since there were many other measures to be implemented in ensuring a credible poll.
The government has since gone to the Court of Appeal challenging the ruling of the Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire that the motion is valid. The government is also asking the Court of Appeal to issue a conservatory order preventing President Granger and members of the Cabinet from resigning until the hearings and determination of the appeals are concluded.
