The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) today called on President Irfaan Ali to swear in the newly-elected mayors and deputies.
In a statement, the GTUC noted that Cap 28:01, Section 18 ‘Oath of Office’ stipulates: “The Mayor and the Deputy Mayor shall, before performing any of the functions of their respective offices, take before the President an oath of office in form set out in the Second Schedule.”
The GTUC said: “It is a shame, disgrace and violation that so many weeks after the Local Government Elections (LGE), which were held on June 12, 2023, and results declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), that the mayors and deputy mayors, who were elected, have not yet been sworn in and therefore cannot legally function”.
The GTUC called on the elected mayors and deputies not to allow themselves to be lured into acts of lawlessness and to be mindful that they have no legal instrument to perform duties in the said roles. It said that those who have taken it upon themselves to function without the said instrument are being urged to cease such function immediately and demand that they be legally sworn in to perform their duties
“Remaining silent and/or participating in this illegality that has been foisted on this nation by President Ali and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) regime, would be encouraging and setting a dangerous precedent, and communicating to society support for the decline in good governance, and contempt for the Rule of Law”, the statement said.
The GTUC also called on Aubrey Norton, Leader of the Opposition, and Chairman of APNU that contested the Local Government Elections to make a clear and strident call to President Ali to uphold the Laws.
