President signs official Proclamation for March 2 elections

President David Granger has signed the official proclamation for elections on March 2 next year.

The signed Proclamation was released by the President’s office.

“The President, by the power vested in him by Article 61 of the Constitution of Guyana, to by proclamation, appoint the day for an election under Article 60 (2) appoints 2nd March 2020 as the day on which an election of members of the National Assembly shall be held,” the President’s office stated.

The same elections will be held to elect members of Regional Democratic Councils.

President Granger on 25th September 2019, in his address to the nation, had announced that after discussions with Chairman of the Elections Commission and with his Cabinet, the earliest possible date for the holding of General and Regional Elections will be on Monday, 2nd March 2020.

The President’s statement followed Chairman of the Elections Commission Justice Claudette Singh’s missive to him on 19th September 2019, indicating that “the Guyana Elections Commission will be able to deliver credible elections by the end of February 2020”.

The Head of State met Justice Singh on September 25 and discussed the statutory timelines for the upcoming General and Regional Elections.

The President had selected March 02, favouring this date because it falls the week after the 50th Republic Anniversary celebrations on February 23. Since the holiday will be a Sunday, the following Monday, February 24 would also be a public holiday. The next available Monday was therefore March 02.

Official elections results are usually delayed in Guyana. In 2015, Granger was declared President one week after the elections.

The Hindu festival of Phagwah would be celebrated one week after the upcoming elections.