President reiterates respect for Constitution, rule of law in meeting with CARICOM leaders

President David Granger on Wednesday afternoon met Chairperson of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, and a team of regional leaders at the Ministry of the Presidency.

Prime Minister Mottley is leading the delegation of regional Prime Ministers on a special two-day mission to Guyana.

She is accompanied by Prime Ministers Dr. Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago, Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, Keith Mitchell of Grenada and Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

President Granger in his meeting with the regional leaders said he will continue to abide by the Constitution of Guyana, the ruling of the Supreme Court and the decision of the Guyana Elections Commission.

The President said he considers Guyana as a continental state with Caribbean characteristics and welcomed the presence of the five regional leaders.

“I am committed to the rule of law and the Constitution. We will abide by the declaration of the Elections Commission. Like all of Guyana, we are waiting for the declaration,” President Granger said.

The Head of State said too that he has always respected the decisions of the Court.

“We have respected the integrity and autonomous nature of the Elections Commission. We respect the Courts, as independent from the Executive and will abide by the decisions of the Court,” the President assured the Caribbean leaders.

Prime Minister Mottley said the regional leaders have traveled to Guyana to find an amicable solution to the challenges facing the country’s leaders. She said it is undesirable to see the loss of life, injury, and damage to property.

“We are conscious that the court has ruled and that the process [validation] has to be continued. We [Caribbean leaders] do not want to see the loss of life, damage to property or injuries,” PM Mottley said with the full agreement of the other leaders.

President Granger was accompanied by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Vice-President and Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, Director General, Ministry of the Presidency, Mr. Joseph Harmon, and Minister of State, Mrs. Dawn Hastings-Williams.

Also present was Secretary-General, CARICOM, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque. (Extracted and modified from Ministry of the Presidency)