Appearing at a campaign-style event for the first time since the December 21st no-confidence motion that felled his government, President David Granger yesterday said that the administration will exhaust all lawful processes to challenge the results and strongly signalled that he would lead the APNU+AFC coalition into the next elections.
To a jubilant, cheering crowd of about 1,500 persons at the official commissioning of his People’s National Congress’ Region Three headquarters at Vreed-en-Hoop, Granger declared that there is no provision for a “caretaker government” and he remains in office until the next President is sworn in. He emphasised that the government would not violate Guyana’s Constitution, while signalling that the government could appeal the no-confidence motion case all the way to the Caribbean Court of Justice, Guyana’s final court of appeal.
“My brothers and sisters. That is a split-second event. There is no such thing as interim government, there is no such thing as caretaker government. I remain president until the next president is sworn in so I don’t know how they gon work that one out. I ain’t going way until the next president is sworn in,” he said.
Last Thursday, acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire upheld the validity of the vote on the motion and said that this should have triggered the immediate resignation of the Cabinet, including the President, paving the way for new elections within three months unless an extension is agreed. The motion had been declared carried by the Speaker Dr. Barton Scotland after the vote.
The president said that the National Assembly has work to do but did not elaborate. “We can’t reverse what happened in the National Assembly on December 21st last year. The Speaker has spoken, we respect the Speaker and we have spoken. We have gone to the court. But we have met with the Leader of the Opposition, who agrees that the National Assembly has work to do. So I have not dissolved parliament. And I have not resigned, and according to the Constitution, I remain President until the next president is sworn in,” he asserted as screams and bursts of “no, you have not” and “legit President” rang out.
In addressing the action by then government Member of Parliament (MP) Charrandass Persaud’s whose ‘yes’ vote ensured the passage of the no-confidence motion, Granger said it was nothing short of selfishness and betrayal.
“It takes over 6,000 persons to elect one MP and to believe that one person, one person… There has to be something undemocratic about that, there has to be something cruel and callous about that. That you don’t consult with your constituents, you don’t consult with your leaders, you just juk, stab yuh in the back,” he said.
During his 37-minute address, the President, who was last year diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, and has been undergoing chemotherapy, appeared stronger and more vigorous compared to his January 6th brunch with the press. He tapped his feet to the rhythm of Bunji Garlin’s ‘We Ready for the Road’ and his wit was on display as he poked fun at his falling hair among other bits of humour he brought the crowd.
The party said that a large delegation came by buses from many other parts of the country such as Georgetown and Region 10, but the fact that the crowd was large was testament to the supporters’ confidence in the PNCR and by extension, the APNU+AFC coalition.
AFC executives, Minister of Public Telecommunications Cathy Hughes and Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan, were also in attendance.
Granger appealed to the crowd for their continued support. “You elected us to do a job, let us finish the job. They didn’t elect Bharrat (Jagdeo) to do the job, they didn’t elect Irfaan (Ali) to finish the job. Give us a chance to finish the job. Put us in the driving seat, put us in charge and you will see the transformation, the change in every community, the change in every region, the change in every village,” he said.
“A massive amount of people went out to vote for a coalition they believed in. To make Guyana a place for them and their children. Earnest people, sincere people looked forward to five unbroken years of service and we have not let you down. We have not finished our work but we have not let you down. We are a work in progress,” he said.
“Sometimes when I consider what has happened; four new towns…when last we had four new towns? Go to Mabaruma, go to Mahdia…, grateful populations, and [yet] one man, one man didn’t think about that. He just thinking about casereep,” Granger said in reference to Persaud.
‘Better together’
He went on to list some programmes that were executed under his over three-year old administration, saying that if he continued, it would take the meeting way into the night.
“We got fed up with the winner-takes-all system. We believe that we are better together and we can continue to be better together. From Kaikan to Orealla…people know the importance of working together. If I start telling you what the APNU and the AFC achieved since 2015, you will be here until mosquitoes bite you, and you know Vreed-en-Hoop mosquitoes,” he said.
“There are roads, lights, water and I tell people I was on the East Bank of Berbice and a man from Plegt Anker, he said this is the happiest day of his life. He can flush his toilet with running water for the first time. We have brought water to people who never had…We have created something called the Three Bs and Five Bs systems. People got buses and boats to go to school. And who don’t have boat and bus, going on bicycle because we care about yuh pickey them. There is radio…because this is a government that cares about public communication” he declared.
‘Man with the plan’
And taking a jab at the PPP presidential candidate, Irfaan Ali, Granger said that the massive crowd had scared him away.
“Shhhhhhh, shhhhhhh,” he said, bringing the crowd to pin drop silence. As they listened attentively, he said, “I have been looking around since I came and have been asking myself ‘Where is Irfaan? ‘Why isn’t he here to meet me?’ He doesn’t know what is going on at Vreed-en-Hoop? The ground is moving from under his feet,” he stated.
“With this mobilisation, I would have gone to Canada mehself. If they wouda let me in, and if not Brooklyn would do,” he said in a clear reference to Ali being advised by the Canadian government to not travel there and who subsequently went to New York instead.
The president signalled that he would run for the presidency again. He reminded Guyana’s citizenry that the next elections are not personal and while voters should choose a candidate of integrity, sound policies for now and future generations are what are important.
“As (Minister of State Joe Harmon) said, and I agree, I am the man with the plan. It is not about David versus Irfaan, it is about the future of our children; whether they can grow up in a democratic state, whether we can enjoy the quality of life we promised them and APNU+AFC is the machinery to deliver that quality of life,” he declared.
“…We are the organisation. We will support you, we will protect you. Bring more members and let them know they have a home, let them know there are people who care here…we need to educate our members. This is not a cocktail party. We are better together because we represent different cultural and intellectual groups in this country. We do not want to be a winner-take-all party. I value the actions of the GAP (Guyana Action Party) because I don’t know everything that is going on in Region Nine. I don’t know what is happening in the AFC, it’s the leaders that come and tell me. I know other parties and I want you to tell them lend us your votes and if we don’t perform, then take it back. Lend us your votes, see what we do with it, and if we don’t perform, take it back,” he added.
