Guyana: masiva protesta opositora en reclamo de elecciones a casi siete meses del voto de no confianza
“Respect the Constitution” – Edghill demands
PPP Executive Member Bishop Juan Edghill is calling on the coalition government to do the right thing and call elections now.
“That is our demand…We are not asking the government for a favour,” he contended during the massive protest outside of the Ministry of the Presidency.
Scores of persons braved the inclement weather to demand that the government respect their rights to elect a government of their choice. “We want elections now,” the protesters chanted.
“We are just simply saying respect the Constitution and the successful passage of the no-confidence vote which the CCJ has ruled as validly passed, the government should resign and elections should be held within 90 days,” Edghill expressed.
He lamented that “we have a government that continues to keep Cabinet, distribute lands, give our contracts, they are squatting, squandering the resources of our people and we are saying obey the Constitution and call the elections now. That’s why we are out here.”
The APNU/AFC administration was defeated by a no-confidence motion on December 21, 2018. Elections ought to have been held since before March 21, 2019.
“We are standing up for all Guyanese” – Jagdeo
“Today, this is a signal that we are not going to tolerate them in government behaving with impunity,” Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo declared.
He was at the time addressing a large crowd of supporters who had moments ago staged a protest outside of the Ministry of the Presidency, calling for elections to be held now.
During a mini rally, the Opposition Leader braved the heavy downpours as he called on all Guyanese to join the fight to ensure democracy prevails.
“We are standing up for Guyana and for all Guyanese,” Jagdeo said.
“This protest is on the side of the law…This is a strong signal to … all those Guyanese who believe we must stand up for constitutional rule.”
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ruled that the government was defeated by a no-confidence motion last year. This means that elections ought to have been held since March 21, 2019 – in keeping with the Constitution of Guyana.
But the government remains in office and has not yet announced a date for the polls.
“This government is illegal and has been illegal since March 21…the only way they can change this is through elections,” the Opposition Leader posited.
The country is waiting on the CCJ to hand down consequential orders on July 12 – which will determine the way forward. The Opposition has submitted that the court order elections to be held within three months but the Granger-administration proposed that the elections be delayed, for house-to-house registration.
“Let us see what the consequential orders are,” Jagdeo told the supporters, hinting that massive protests will continue if the government insists on occupying office illegally.
