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FM
Former Member

No elections until April 2020

Feb 20, 2019 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom, Kaieteur News, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...ns-until-april-2020/

No one, least of all the PPPC, should be surprised by the decisions of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), firstly that elections cannot be held within 90 days and secondly in favour of house-to-house registration.

In a politically polarized society, these decisions were always on the cards. And most of the Commissioners had previously telegraphed their positions where they stood.

It is no use trying to argue to the contrary to the unconverted. By now it should be that when it comes to political issues, reason is apt to become a victim of political interests, and no amount of rational arguments will convince those whose minds are already foreclosed to alternatives.

No one is also going to advance the argument that in a seven-person commission, a majority is half plus one and since half of 7 is 3.5 this has to be rounded off to four, and then add one, making a majority five instead of four. Even those who employed β€˜strange’ mathematics in arguing that 34 is a majority of 65 will now contradict themselves and hold that four is a majority of 7.

Elections are not going to be held until next year. If the urgency with which GECOM approached its preparation for elections, following the no-confidence vote, is anything to judge by, then house-to- house registration will take at least one year. Do not expect to be ready anytime sooner. We are therefore looking at a timeline for elections by April next year.

No amount of reasoning will change that. Neither will any shortening of this timeline reduce the fallout in public confidence in GECOM.
Nonetheless, (please read conjunctively) there are issues to be resolved.

For one, GECOM’s excuse for not being ready for elections is that it does not have funds for elections. And second, it wants house-to house- registration for which funds have been approved.

GECOM is one of the constitutional agencies which enjoy financial autonomy under the Fiscal Management and Accountability Act (FMAA).

It receives a subvention from the government, based on proposals which it submits to government and which have to be approved by the National Assembly.

Once GECOM receives a subvention, its spending cannot be dictated by the Ministry of Finance since the law allows GECOM financial autonomy.

Incidentally it was the APNU+AFC which tabled that law which allows financial autonomy of certain constitutional agencies Parliament Office, Office of the Auditor General, Public and Police Service Commissions, Teaching Service Commission, Guyana Elections Commission, Supreme Court of Judicature and the Office of the Office of the Ombudsman.

In November 2018, the National Assembly approved $6.3 billion for GECOM whose budget included house-to-house registration. The Fiscal Management and Accountability (Amendment) Act of 2015 provided that once allocations are approved, the appropriations are supposed to be paid out in a lump sum to the agency.

What this means in practice, is that the Ministry of Finance cannot ration the appropriation approved for a Constitutional Agency. The law also provides that there can be no changes to the agency’s Budget without the prior approval of the National Assembly. This would mean that even though the agency enjoys financial autonomy in spending, it can only spend in accordance with its approved Budget.

The approved appropriations of GECOM would have included a hefty sum for house-to house- registration. But there was no allocation for elections, since GECOM could not have contemplated the intrigue of 21st December 2019. GECOM cannot use monies for house-to- house registration for elections, unless this is approved by the National Assembly.

As things stand therefore, the only way elections can be held is if the National Assembly approves monies for the holding of elections.

The Leader of the Opposition has made it clear since December last year that his party will only return to the National Assembly for election-related matters. Presumably, this includes extending the timeline for the holding of elections and approving monies for holding elections.

But it is almost certain that the government has no intention of approving any sums for elections until such time as house-to house registration is completed.

And the Opposition will insist that elections can be held without the need for house-to house registration and therefore it sees no need for extending the life of government to allow for house-to- house registration.

A constitutional crisis is now certain. Guyana is making history again and as usual for the wrong reasons.

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Demerara_Guy posted:

No elections until April 2020

Feb 20, 2019 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom, Kaieteur News, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...ns-until-april-2020/

No one is also going to advance the argument that in a seven-person commission, a majority is half plus one and since half of 7 is 3.5 this has to be rounded off to four, and then add one, making a majority five instead of four. Even those who employed β€˜strange’ mathematics in arguing that 34 is a majority of 65 will now contradict themselves and hold that four is a majority of 7.

Interesting.

FM
ksazma posted:

The worst thing the voters of Guyana ever did is consciously vote to place the PNC in government. They unwisely ignored all the good advice that the PNC has not yet learned how to live amongst civilization. Now they will have to live with their foolishness. Let’s see how they like the change they voted for in 2015.

PNC part two will destroy Guyana beyond recognition.

FM
cain posted:

The PPP will be in the doghouse until that butthead BJ stands down and stop being a goddam dictator. The fool threw that lame brained dingbat with oh so many certificates into the limelight which has now set the PPP back.

I too prefer Nandlall. That said, he may behave more honorable than the Coalition folks if he was asked to call early elections. I can get by with a dingbat. Dictators are more dangerous. Also, Jagdeo has proven that he is no dictator like the folks in the Coalition government because he demitted when his term was over.

FM
ksazma posted:

The worst thing the voters of Guyana ever did is consciously vote to place the PNC in government. They unwisely ignored all the good advice that the PNC has not yet learned how to live amongst civilization. Now they will have to live with their foolishness. Let’s see how they like the change they voted for in 2015.

And here is this man calling black people stupid and yes you are because this is exactly what 95% of those who voted did in 2015, and 2016 and 2018.

Bet you dont even want to know why they did this.

FM
ksazma posted:
cain posted:

The PPP will be in the doghouse until that butthead BJ stands down and stop being a goddam dictator. The fool threw that lame brained dingbat with oh so many certificates into the limelight which has now set the PPP back.

I too prefer Nandlall. 

Nandalanda ain't much better than Irfart...a likkle mo' smart but it stops there. Remember..Spermgate...or the phone call as Carib mentioned..oh yeh remember how he git a uncle who is a knockman..remember da one?

cain
Baseman posted:

I believe BJs choice of Irfaan has hurt his cause and helped granger with the ABC countries! Granger has been hoodwinked!

The PPP has no leadership-dem ppl with faces are no damn leaders. Jagdeo simply was disrespectful to every citizen of Guyana in hs hand picking of Irfaan. Not to say, there are others who are better. He would have been wise to select the Bishop and rebuild the Party. Instead, he prefer a thief to thief more.

Not surprised by Granger, why hand the country over to crooks.

The men and women of the PPP actually gave the PNC the power, they must know what took place at Freedom House is bad for the whole country. Yet they fail to retake the party and kick out both Irfaan and Jagdeo.

The PPP is not democratic, suh why expect them Black ppl to be.

Bullies roam the land.

S
seignet posted:
Baseman posted:

I believe BJs choice of Irfaan has hurt his cause and helped granger with the ABC countries! Granger has been hoodwinked!

The PPP has no leadership-dem ppl with faces are no damn leaders. Jagdeo simply was disrespectful to every citizen of Guyana in hs hand picking of Irfaan. Not to say, there are others who are better. He would have been wise to select the Bishop and rebuild the Party. Instead, he prefer a thief to thief more.

Not surprised by Granger, why hand the country over to crooks.

The men and women of the PPP actually gave the PNC the power, they must know what took place at Freedom House is bad for the whole country. Yet they fail to retake the party and kick out both Irfaan and Jagdeo.

The PPP is not democratic, suh why expect them Black ppl to be.

Bullies roam the land.

How I digest it is elections were not due until 2020.  The NCV was a surprise which we never expected.  So if BJ squandered this, well easy come easy go.  We go back to the original plan. 

FM
Baseman posted:
seignet posted:
Baseman posted:

I believe BJs choice of Irfaan has hurt his cause and helped granger with the ABC countries! Granger has been hoodwinked!

 

How I digest it is elections were not due until 2020.  The NCV was a surprise which we never expected.  So if BJ squandered this, well easy come easy go.  We go back to the original plan. 

Well is not simple suh. Cause PPP unlikely foh win wan eleckshun wid BJ at de top. Dem Indos is only 40% and not all dem going to like Irfaan. Hey hey hey. But de big QUESHTON of de day is COULD DE PPP DO SOMETHING LIKE DIS? WHY PPP WHEN IN POWAH HAD TO USE DRUG PUSHAS FOH DEM ELITE PROTECTION? IS DAT DE DIRECTION AYOO WANT KEEP GUYANA?

FM
Labba posted:
Baseman posted:
seignet posted:
Baseman posted:

I believe BJs choice of Irfaan has hurt his cause and helped granger with the ABC countries! Granger has been hoodwinked!

 

How I digest it is elections were not due until 2020.  The NCV was a surprise which we never expected.  So if BJ squandered this, well easy come easy go.  We go back to the original plan. 

Well is not simple suh. Cause PPP unlikely foh win wan eleckshun wid BJ at de top. Dem Indos is only 40% and not all dem going to like Irfaan. Hey hey hey. But de big QUESHTON of de day is COULD DE PPP DO SOMETHING LIKE DIS? WHY PPP WHEN IN POWAH HAD TO USE DRUG PUSHAS FOH DEM ELITE PROTECTION? IS DAT DE DIRECTION AYOO WANT KEEP GUYANA?

Imagine Granger loooove Burnham. Granger loooove Burnham constitution and Granger wow bruck up Burnham law that even PPP and Mr DG looove. Jagdoe seh nothing wrong wid de constitution. Jagdoe and PPP now defending Burnham law and constitution Me na see 20000 Indos pon de street and beating up blackman like de opposite in Jan 12 1998? Hey hey hey...Jagdoe tink street sense is substitute foh wan sense of histry. Hey hey hey...

FM
Last edited by Former Member
Labba posted:

Mr DG yuh dey see Mr TK orbuculumn seh since de no confidence dat PNC gat de powah not to hold elecksun till next year or ever? Dem PNC peopkle using Jagdoe and Irfaan as de excuse. Hey hey hey. Snowie and salipenta seh dem prefer dictatorship over Jagdoe and Irffan. Hey hey hey. 

Honourable Mr. Labba, dem PNC believed that dem gun rule Guyana fuh at least 45-fart_five or more years; soooo dis iz wan big big big surprise.

FM

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