Constitutional ambiguity could open door for Jagdeo third term bid – Ramkarran

Former Speaker of the National Assembly Ralph Ramkarran has suggested that the door might be open for a third term bid for former president Bharrat Jagdeo as the constitutional provision related to this can be interpreted to mean that this is possible.

“This provision in the constitution does not use the word “consecutively” and this has given rise to speculation that it allows a president to serve only one term or two consecutive terms and return after a lapse of one or more terms and seek election again,” said Ramkarran in his weekly column in the Sunday Stabroek.

“This speculation turns on the meaning of the word “re-election” in the provision. Since a “re-election” can only come immediately after an “election,” therefore “re-election” means “re-election” to a second consecutive term. A “re-election”