With the president’s decision to suspend parliament failing to achieve the desired talks between the government and the opposition, new general and regional elections are likely, Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon said on Wednesday.
“There can be little doubt that general and regional elections are gaining currency as a reasonable acceptable alternative and option to talks among the parliamentary political parties,” Luncheon told a news conference.
Luncheon announced that President Donald Ramotar is to hold a press conference on Saturday, when he will discuss the details of the impasse further. “…The intention is to acquaint Guyanese with the current thinking, this is the post decision that the leader of the opposition[’s] letter produced and that decision basically said prorogation and its objectives were essentially lost,” he said.
His comments came in wake of a letter by Leader of the Opposition David Granger to Ramotar, in which he reiterated that there will be no talks with government as long as Parliament remains prorogued.
Ramotar, who prorogued Parliament on November 10, had taken the decision in order to thwart a motion of no-confidence against his government, which was to be piloted by the AFC. He had said that if there was no prospect of dialogue with the opposition he would move to early elections.
Observers say the pressure will now continue to build on Ramotar to either reconvene Parliament or dissolve Parliament and move to elections.
According to Luncheon, the president has since written Granger to express his disappointment at the decision not to engage in dialogue.
Luncheon explained that the president and his advisors have three questions that have always consumed them in the context of a failed prorogation, including when the suspension would be ended since its continuation cannot be justified and what other options are on the table. “…I think the consideration now is to examine those options, particularity general and regional elections,” he stressed.
