President Irfaan Ali has denounc-ed Opposition Leader Joseph Harmon’s condemnation of the recent ruling of the acting Chief Justice, who dismissed the main opposition coalition’s elections petition, as evidence of an opposition bent on sowing divisiveness and fear.
At a news conference on Wednesday, Ali played a tape recording of Harmon’s response to the ruling and he said that the nation can decide for itself.
“That is the APNU+AFC’s response to the court ruling. Does that give you any indication that they are working for the development of this country? Now attacking the court! Driving fear in people! Our position in relation to Harmon is very clear,” Ali said when asked what effect the recent court decision will have on high-level engagements between government and the opposition going forward.
Ali has refused to engage Harmon until the latter recognises the legitimacy of the PPP/C-led government.
“I played the tape. Instead of doing what is right, he has gone, totally outraged, not only at the executive but at the judiciary also. There are three arms of government, I can speak for the executive and I have spoken for the executive,” he added.
On Monday, the opposition lost its bid to invalidate the national recount of ballots that was undertaken by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), following last year’s contentious General and Regional Elections.
Acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire SC dismissed the petition filed on behalf of the coalition, ruling that both Section 22 of the Election Laws (Amendment) Act (ELAA), and Order 60 which facilitated the recount, are well within the ambit of the Constitution and, therefore, lawful.
Harmon subsequently decried the ruling. “We will appeal this until justice is delivered to us. We must keep hope alive. We must continue to fight. We will continue to work to remove this installed PPP regime. Through it all, you have been resilient and I salute you. …we fight against … powers but our struggle is just and the struggle must continue,” he told supporters outside of the High Court.
“Today is a dark and ominous day for democracy in Guyana. The ruling of the court must strike fear in the hearts of all of democracy-loving people in Guyana, the Caribbean and around the world. We have continuously called on our people to keep the peace, to remain calm and to uphold the law. Today, however, we have witnessed once again the judicial system failing our people.”
Ali said he will not dwell on Harmon’s countenance as it does this country no good.
He welcomed the court’s decision as he pledged to recommit his “administration to continuing to uphold and defend the separation of powers between the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary – which is so vital to the functioning of our democracy.”
“I particularly welcome therefore the decision of Chief Justice Roxane George, in dismissing an election petition filed by that Opposition which spuriously sought to challenge the constitutional and legal results of the General and Regional elections held on the 2nd of March last year – which elected the People’s Progressive Party to government, and which was recognised without exception internationally,” he said.
Ali added that the court’s decision is a testimony both to the independence of the judiciary and the enduring strength of the country’s democracy. “Even more importantly, the decision arrived at by the Court is further evidence of the fact that as a people and a country, whatever our party-political differences may be, these differences are settled peacefully and within the rule of law under which we are all constitutionally governed,” he added.
Meanwhile, when asked by this newspaper about his concern of the judiciary not having a substantive Chief Justice and Chancellor, he explained that addressing the situation is a priority issue for him.
“There is a process to do this. That process has not been activated. I have the greatest respect for the members of our judiciary and the independence of the judiciary and definitely this is a matter that is engaging my attention at the highest priority level,” he said.
