Newly-accredited US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch yesterday said her country will continue to encourage “genuinely free and fair elections…and a constitutional judiciary process” here.
“During our long relationship with Guyana, we have witnessed significant progress. We have seen a strengthening of democratic processes and political institutions, along with broader political participation and citizen representation. Moving forward, we will continue to encourage genuinely free and fair elections, freedom of speech and assembly, multiparty representation, and a constitutional judiciary process,” the ambassador said in comments just after she presented her credentials to President David Granger at the Ministry of the Presidency.
Coming at this juncture, the Ambassador’s remarks will be seen as the clearest signal yet from Washington to the Granger Administration that it is expecting elections in line with the constitution and judicial rulings. Based on the successful motion of no-confidence on December 21, 2018 against the government, elections are to be held in three months, failing which Parliament could extend the period by a vote of two-thirds of the MPs. Granger has not yet named a date for elections and is arguing that the Guyana Elections Commission has to advise him on readiness for the convening of elections. The opposition has meanwhile said that the government and GECOM are deliberately stalling elections.
