Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo is insisting on elections in three months, saying President David Granger is obligated to respect the ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) which last Tuesday ruled that the December 21 No Confidence motion was validly passed.
“We’ve been patient throughout it all, there is a ceiling to this patience,” Jagdeo told the News Room in an interview Monday afternoon.
He was referring specifically to the legal process which was dragged out for six months after the Government joined in a challenge to contest the passage of the No Confidence motion.
“We’re done with bending over backwards,” he emphasised, saying that the PPP would be uncompromising on its position that elections be held in three months.
That position is expected to be communicated to the CCJ by July 1, which is the deadline given by the Court for all parties to submit their case on what should happen now.
The CCJ had ruled that with the motion properly passed, Article 106 (6) and & (7) were triggered, namely that there has to be elections in three months unless the date is extended by a Parliamentary vote.
That deadline lapsed on March 21 and the Court is now left to decide on the way forward.
President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders, expressed disappointment that the President and the Opposition leader have not yet met since the ruling of the Court.
“The matters before the court are of the highest constitutional importance.
“It beats me that the Leader of the Opposition and the President and their respective counsel have not met to discuss the issues that confront us,” he stated.
He added: “Everybody says these are important issues, but it seems the same degree or urgency and delivery…expected of the courts, we do not see the same reflected in the bahaviour of the political directorate, and I think that is unfortunate.
“This puts the court in an awkward position. We do not want to make political decisions. At the same time, we feel it is our remit to see the rule of law observed in Guyana.”
