Tag Archives: legal

Guyana Politics: GECOM awaits written High Court decision; 230,000 registered so far

Photo: GECOM Chairman Claudette Singh flanked by (left to right) PPP-aligned election commissioners Robeson Benn, Bibi Shadick, and Sase Gunraj and pro-coalition commissioners Charles Corbin, Vincent Alexander and Desmond Trotman.
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The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on Thursday (August 15, 2019) did not discuss the implications of the High Court judgement on house-to-house registration and related matters because commissioners were yet to obtain a copy of the written decision by Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, an elections commissioner said.Government-appointed elections commissioner, Vincent Alexander expected the seven-member body to meet again by Monday before GECOM Chairperson, Retired Justice Claudette Singh informs President David Granger on the way forward.      Continue reading

Guyana Politics: President remains in office until next elections if no PPP support for House extension -AG

Anil Nandlall (left) and Basil Williams

Attorney General Basil Williams  on Monday August 5, said President David Granger would remain in office and call elections if the opposition People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) refuses to give its parliamentary support to extend the timeframe within which general elections must be held following last December’s no-confidence motion.

He said it would now fall to the President to fix a date for an election and dissolve parliament. “There is no constitutional crisis,” he said.      Continue reading

Guyana Politics: No walkouts, only law-based decisions for elections – new GECOM Chairman

No walkouts, only law-based decisions for free, fair and transparent elections- new GECOM Chairman

Newly-appointed Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh on Monday vowed to make decisions based on Guyana’s laws and the constitution, while signaling that she would not tolerate any walkouts from meetings of the seven-member commission.      Continue reading

My last word on the CCJ today: Guyanese leaders have failed us all – By GHK Lall

My last word on the CCJ today: Guyanese leaders want adda people fuh duh de dutty wuk

I am ashamed. I am not sure, nor do I care, how many Guyanese I speak for but I am insulted and embarrassed at some of what came through from the CCJ today. Any self-respecting Guyanese, and I am not certain as to how many are still around, should feel the same way. Did matters really have to come to this humiliating state?

From some of the quotes in the Demerara Waves’ coverage titled, “Caribbean Court gives Granger, Jagdeo more time to find consensus on elections date; GECOM says general elections not possible until after Christmas” (June 24), it is clear that Guyanese leaders, and by extension all of the Guyanese people, have been given a public dressing down. It is one that reeks of impatience, disappointment, condescension, and frustration.  Continue reading

Guyana asks World Court for swift Venezuela border case hearing

 – Venezuela refuses to participate

The International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands.

Guyana wants the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to go ahead with oral hearings into the border controversy with Venezuela because Caracas has refused to submit counter arguments, the Foreign Ministry here said.

“In consequence, Guyana has decided to ask the Court to proceed directly to the holding of oral hearings, at the earliest possible date, to determine its jurisdiction over the case,” the ministry said.        Continue reading

Guyana Politics: Bharrat Jagdeo’s decisions have hurt the PPP – By James McAllister

The arrogance and hubris of Bharrat Jagdeo are not working for the PPP

After the No-Confidence Motion (NCM), Jagdeo had hoped pressure from his cohorts in the Private Sector Commission (PSC), and at the Stabroek News would have forced the government to resign. If this had happened, Jagdeo would have nullified a significant amount of the incumbency advantage the government enjoys. In addition, he would have forced election within a period when the government was still absorbing the powerful message its supporters sent during the Local Government Elections (LGE). There would have been no time for adjustment or correction.

However, once there was the combination of the government’s move to the court, and the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) decision to inform the President that elections were not possible before house-to-house registration, he should have adjusted his strategy. Once the issue moved to the courts, impartial observers accepted that the Government was entitled to due process. After all, this was not a case where the PPP won an election and the government was refusing to demit office. This was the case where the dubious vote of a government MP was procured under questionable circumstances.      Continue reading

PPP to boycott Parliament until CCJ ruling on no-confidence case

PPP to boycott parliamentary sittings until CCJ ruling on no-confidence case

Demerara Waves – March 24, 2019

The opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Sunday announced that it would be boycotting parliamentary sittings until the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) rules on whether the no-confidence motion was validly passed by Guyana’s National Assembly.

“The General Secretary of the PPP wishes to place on record that the People’ s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C ) will not attend any sitting of the National Assembly, while the Appeal in the no-confidence motion is pending at the Caribbean Court of Justice,” the PPP said on its Facebook page.

The appeal could be filed this week, lawyers said.      Continue reading

Guyana Politics: Jagdeo says GECOM, coalition plot to rig elections through updating voters’ list

Bharrat Jagdeo.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on Wednesday accused the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) of conspiring with the governing coalition to rig the general elections by replacing the current voters’ list through house-to-house registration.

He told a news conference that the PPP would continue to pile pressure on the David Granger-led administration, through peaceful protests and legal action until he calls early general elections. “We will not cease until President Granger respects the constitution and calls early elections,” he said. PPP elections commissioner Sase Gunraj has already noted that house-to-house registration is not a legal requirement.

Jagdeo confirmed that he has held talks with a visiting Carter Centre delegation twice and “they have made certain soundings about a proposal”, but he declined to give details about the engagement with that United States-headquartered non-governmental organisation headed by former US President Jimmy Carter.    Continue reading

Carter Centre: Remove overseas-based Guyanese from voters’ list for elections in August

Carter Centre proposes activating law to remove names of overseas-based Guyanese from voters’ list to facilitate elections in August

Jason Carter of the Carter Centre

“This has surfaced and what the Carter Centre has sought to do is to see how they can work around this to come up with a compromise. Their compromise does not fit neatly into what the law provides for.

They have suggested that a list of non-resident people could be generated and could be used on election day to determine whether anybody came to vote for them so they are attempting to address the essence of the matter, that is, substitute voting,” ruling coalition commissioner Vincent Alexander told reporters.      Continue reading

CLUTCHING AT STRAWS – by Ralph Ramkarran

 CLUTCHING AT STRAWS

Ralph Ramkarran

Ralph Ramkarran

Posted on November 28, 2015   –  by  – ConversationTree Blog

The announcement by Government that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Fedders Lloyd, a reputable Indian company, relating to the Specialty Hospital project, has attracted several negative comments. During the life of the last government, the then Opposition consisting of both the AFC and APNU had refused to support the Specialty Hospital.

The AFC’s opposition was founded on the suspect award of the contract to Surendra Engineering, a spare parts supplier, rather than Fedders Lloyd, which had a track record in the construction of such facilities and had made the lowest bid. APNU argued that Guyana needed improved primary care centres, rather than a specialized facility. One high official suggested that ‘Indians’ were ‘taking over.’ Chinese and Brazilian immigrants, who should be applauded for their valuable contributions to Guyana, were spared.    Continue reading

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