Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission Dr Steve Surujbally stated that the commission may agree to truncate the current exercise of continuous registration and prepare to go to elections, “once it is clear we are having elections next year.”
However since an indicative date has not been issued as yet by President Donald Ramotar Gecom will continue with the latest continuous registration cycle.
Surujbally told Stabroek News that the commission commenced the registration cycle because there was no word from the president on a date for elections and as a result Gecom will continue to “purify and sanitize” the list of electors.
He said Gecom is prepared to institute an action plan as soon as the date for general elections is declared.
On Saturday Ramotar announced that he will call general elections but declined to name a date,saying that he will “announce further steps” in this direction early next year.
The president’s refusal to name a date, amid political deadlock and growing criticism over his decision to suspend parliament, was derided by the parliamentary opposition who deemed it “cowardly” and “farcical.”
Ramotar has been unable to mobilise support for the prorogation of parliament and his government has been increasingly criticised over the move. He has come under fire from political parties, civil society and other groupings, with the UK and Organisation of American States, among others, calling on him to end the suspension of parliament.
During the briefing at State House, the President accused the opposition as not wanting dialogue. Leader of the Opposition David Granger has maintained since the suspension of the legislative branch of government on November 10 that he was not willing to hold any talks with the President as long as the prorogation continued.
Ramotar had chosen to suspend the Parliament to avoid a looming no-confidence motion initiated by the Alliance For Change in August prior to the National Assembly’s three-month break.
The President continues to face heavy criticism for his lack of commitment. Under the Constitution prorogation of parliament is allowed for six months. Observers have noted that the President’s decision to not name a date for general elections is in keeping with the government’s lack of urgency.
Political analyst and attorney Christopher Ram noted that despite the President’s announcement of elections, the parliament remains suspended and will continue to be until Ramotar issues a proclamation to dissolve the law-making body. Only when the President does this will the countdown to election begin, he said.
He said the President’s announcement with the refusal to name a date was lacking in seriousness and as it is, the government is marking time and running the country without being accountable to the National Assembly. It is possible, Ram said, that elections would not be held until mid-year and this would mean that the country would have been operating without a parliament for a full year.
He said that the president’s announcement leaves the country in greater uncertainty and suspense than if he had announced the dissolution of parliament. “Instead of reducing the duration of the uncertainty, the President has added to it. That will be very harmful to business,” he said.
