IRO offers to mediate between Granger, Jagdeo

The Inter-Religious Organization of Guyana (IRO) has offered to serve as mediator between President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo after imploring their parties to “preserve and maintain the peace and harmony” in Guyana.

According to a statement issued yesterday, the IRO believes that Guyanese have the capacity to resolve their issues and in spirit of peacekeepers offered its services as “mediators” and also suggested shared governance as a solution to the current impasse.

It noted that it has written both Granger and Jagdeo.

The March 21st constitutional due date for the holding of elections is looming without an agreement on either polls or an extension of the period for them to be run off and there has been no indication by government and opposition that a deal will be likely. The opposition has said that without an extension of the date for the holding of polls, government continuing in office would be illegal.

The IRO said it has also suggested that shared governance “promotes collaboration, partnership and political stability for the sake of [Guyana] and its people.”

The statement notes that the organisation successfully promoted peaceful elections in 2006 by establishing a peace pact signed by all political parties contesting those elections and stressed that promoting a strong measure of peace and harmony during “times like these” is part of the ethos of the IRO.