Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo Friday met with US, Canadian, British and EU Diplomats following last Friday’s No-Confidence motion passed against the APNU+AFC Government.
Mr Jagdeo also made it clear that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) will not be attending next week’s scheduled sitting of the National Assembly unless it has to do with elections; a sitting called for any other business , he said, would be deemed illegal.
The Opposition Leader told reporters following the meeting that he made it clear to the International Community that if General and Regional elections are not held by March 19, 2019, the Parliamentary Opposition will treat the Government as illegitimate, unconstitutional, and that no act that they engage in internationally or locally would be recognised.
“This would have major implications for Guyana, for investors and for all concerned. So we have also urged the diplomatic community to be involved in the process of free and fair elections,” Mr Jagdeo said.
According to Mr Jagdeo, he also informed the diplomats that the PPP wants a massive observer group from all the agencies that traditionally observe elections in Guyana, including CARICOM, the Carter Center and UNASUR.
The Diplomats were also told of the PPP’s concern relating to the Government exploring options to challenge the passage of the No Confidence vote even after publicly accepting defeat.
“I said to them we will not accept that in the People’s Progressive Party, and that obviously there will be instability in the country if it happens. I also said we will not accept a judicial coup.”
The Opposition Leader said that article 106 (6) of the constitution is explicit that the Government should have resigned by now and set a date for elections with three months.
According to Mr Jagdeo, the PPP will not return to the National Assembly unless it has to do with extending the date for national elections.
In order for the date to be extended beyond three months, the constitution states that a two thirds majority vote is needed in the National Assembly; this means that the Opposition will have to agree to an extension given the fact that the government only has a one seat majority.
“The Parliament can’t go on as if nothing happened. The Government fell. This was certified by the Speaker, who is the head of the Legislature.
“He announced in unambiguous terms that the motion of No-Confidence was successful.
“The Clerk certified that and notified me… as far as the three branches of the Government are concerned, the legislative branch has made a decision that has to be respected,” Jagdeo stated.
He said that the sitting scheduled for next week will be deemed illegal and the PPP has no intentions of attending.
Even after accepting defeat when one of its own Parliamentarians voted with the PPP to pass the motion of no confidence, the APNU+AFC administration is now looking to challenge the outcome, legally.
