President to meet with GECOM Friday

President David Granger has invited the Chairman and Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Friday at 11 in the morning.

The President’s invitation to Justice James Patterson and the Commissioners was swiftly dispatched following a meeting Wednesday between the President and the Opposition Leader.

At the meeting, the Opposition Leader refused to discuss any issues unless the President makes a definitive proposal on a date for elections that is close to the constitutional deadline.

Because of the passage of the No Confidence motion on December 21, elections are constitutionally due by March 21. Unless the President can convince the Opposition Leader to extend the date for elections, the government will become illegal in 14 days.

At the meeting, the President undertook to meet with the full Commission and then meet again with the Opposition Leader.

The invitation for a meeting between the President and the Chairman and Commissioners of GECOM was sent by Minister of State Joseph Harmon. In the letter, seen by the News Room, the President said he wanted to consult on the “readiness of GECOM for the conduct of general and regional elections.”