Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has rubbished the statement of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) which urged the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to support an extension to the life of the Parliament and by extension the Government.
At a news conference Thursday, Jagdeo again reiterated that the PPP will not give the Government the two-thirds majority it needs in the National Assembly to extend the deadline for general and regional elections.
The CCJ has already ruled that the December 21, 2018, No Confidence motion is valid, triggering the constitutional provision for elections in three months.
But an election date in Guyana can only be extended in the National Assembly with the support of two-thirds of the members; in the Government’s case, it only has a one-seat majority which means it will need the support of the Opposition.
An application which was filed by Attorney Christopher Ram for the High Court to order the elections commission to set a date for elections on or before September 18, 2019, was denied by the Chief Justice Wednesday.
Following that ruling, the WPA, which makes up a small faction in the coalition Government, urged the PPP to “return to parliament to facilitate the desired extension of the life of the government. Refusal to do so, would further tarnish that party’s image and render it unfit to lead Guyana.”
In response, the Opposition Leader said, “We’ve already made it clear, there shall be no extension. We are not voting to extend the life of this Government, period. That’s it, therefore, the three months have expired several times now.”
“They want us to facilitate this desired extension? Desired by whom? This corrupt cabal that’s just raping the resources?”
According to Jagdeo, based on the CCJ ruling, elections should have been held since March 21, 2019.
He again accused the Government of delaying the elections.
“You will see the first month in office, we [the PPP] are promising that we will outline to the Guyanese public all these things that are being done. It will shock the hell out of everyone about what’s taking place now.
“They’re using this timeline to just hustle and making new promises. Pure hustle on every level…we must facilitate their desire to steal more. That’s what the WPA wants,” Jagdeo said.
The Opposition reiterated that any contracts signed or extended, any lands issued among other acts by the Government since March 21 will be deemed illegal by the PPP if it is voted into office.
