President David Granger in response to Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s call for clarity regarding his rejection of the list of persons selected by Jagdeo for the Gecom chairmanship said he is not playing politics, rather his main concern is being constitutionally correct.
The Head of State told media operatives this morning (Wednesday January 11, 2017) at State House that “I am not playing politics, I am serious about the appointment of the Gecom chairman and as far as I can see the Constitution is very very clear…in terms of names I am not in the business of naming names at this time, I am in the business of satisfying the constitutional requirement for the position.”
President Granger expressed confidence that the law will prevail and assured that he will continue to engage the Leader of the Opposition, “I have not disengaged, I have examined his letter and a response would be sent, but as I said…we are looking at everything within a legal framework, not within the framework of politics, not within the framework of personalities.”
Clarifying his position further, the President said for those times in the past “my understanding is that all material times a member of the legal profession or several members from the legal profession were on the list but my acceptance of the nomination or my having a name on the list does not necessarily mean I must accept the six names that were submitted, so it doesn’t follow.”
Granger is contending that even if a nomination was made years ago, in breach of the Constitution, “there is no need to repeat that,” noting that it is not precedence he wishes to follow. “I am accepting now as President that the Constitutional provisions must be applied.”
