President Donald Ramotar and Leader of the Opposition, David Granger.

[www.inewsguyana.com] – Leader of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), David Granger has warned that President Donald Ramotar is “sleepwalking into a constitutional crisis” by not calling Local Government Elections (LGE).

Granger told a news conference on Friday, October 03, that the APNU is “deeply disturbed” by the President’s “dilatoriness” [tending to delay or procrastinate] in issuing instructions to allow the Guyanese people to exercise their right to elect their representatives in local government elections at the earliest possible date.

“President Ramotar told his supporters at a town hall meeting in New York organised by the People’s Progressive Party’s Association of Concerned Guyanese, ‘Well, my mother used to say you can’t have it in cake and have it in bake; you can’t have it both ways, you have to make up your mind what you want.’”

According to Granger, “President Ramotar is the one who needs to make up his mind and do his duty as a national leader. He is suggesting, falsely, that there is a ‘choice’ between local government elections and general and regional elections, that is, between ‘cake’ and ‘bake.’ He is suggesting also that, the motion proposed by the Alliance For Change to express ‘no-confidence’ in the government which could lead to general and regional elections could pose a constitutional dilemma.”

The APNU Leader said that the President is pretending that there is a contradiction or a choice.

“There is none. He has failed the nation by not exercising his executive, constitutional duty to make a timely decision for the conduct of local government elections.”

The Party reminded that it was Ramotar who promised LGE in the PPP/C 2011 election manifesto.

According to Granger, “The President’s inconsistent statements, unconstitutional conduct and dilatory tactics are creating confusion and consternation. The President must demonstrate leadership.”

The APNU Leader noted that Ramotar must address the nation quickly and truthfully to assure the people that he will uphold their constitutional right to local government elections.