The PNC-Coalition has a right to be very fearful about the Court Of Appeal

Press Release: Friday, February 24, 2017

The PNC-Coalition has a right to be very fearful about the Court Of Appeal (COA) ruling last week. The reason they are trembling is because they are doing to the country exactly what Jagdeo and the PPP said they did to the voters: they are ignoring them. Now Jagdeo and the PPP have been traversing the country apologizing to their supporters and the country. And though reluctantly, the PPP followers and some other citizens seem to be willing to forgive Jagdeo for his unforgivable misdeeds. He has also recently won the leadership of his party and is now the General Secretary, which positions him to be the next PPP presidential candidate.

So the decision by former Chief Justice Ian Chang’s, ruling that the two-term presidential limit is unconstitutional and the upholding of that ruling by the COA, play right into Mr. Jagdeo’s hands. It is undoubted that Mr. Jagdeo is the single most powerful political and racists, leader in Guyana. And while President David Granger had the opportunity of competing for the status of being a powerful leader, he and his Coalition are doing so badly at keeping their promises and managing the Country, that he has squandered his opportunity to provide any significant rivalry to Jagdeo.

Once on the political ropes after losing two consecutive national elections, Mr. Jagdeo has been awarded with a second breath, and maybe a second attempt at the Presidency, because of the mammoth failures of the PNC-Coalition. Jagdeo only remains relevant because the Granger-led administration has failed and utterly disappointed the Guyanese citizenry.
Additionally, the COA has framed the appeal as a constitutional matter, thus making any appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) by the current administration, an uphill task. It is not likely that a court comprising of foreign jurists will rule on the constitutionality of a national matter, if only because the precedent would be far reaching and might even affect political decisions in the countries in which they reside. I believe that the CCJ will refer the matter back to the COA and the matter will be stayed.

However, what is of significant note is the notion that Mr. Jagdeo is rumored to have intentions of running again as the President of Guyana. Which begs the question, Are there no other figures in the PPP that the Central Committee can look to for future leadership? Why in such as old party, one man seems to be the only answer to their survival question?
The United Republican Party (URP) believes that Mr. Jagdeo was not good for Guyana and will not be good for Guyana given his track record. He presided over a woefully corrupt, vicious, vindictive and authoritarian government. We believe that it is to the detriment of Guyana for him to be reelected to lead this nation. In light of these facts, the URP calls on the President to immediately put systems in place to have the COA’s ruling be put as a referendum to the people.

The URP notices, given the COA’s latest ruling, that any decision the Parliament makes is likely to be challenged and over turned in court. We were also reliably informed that the PPP are opposed to any constitutional reform, given the powers resident in the current constitution. It is the belief of the PPP that given free and fair elections in 2020, they will regain the government. The URP is therefore suggesting that the government expedites the constitutional reform amendments – regulating the Presidential powers, the proportional representation, etc, – and have all those form part of the referendum.

The divisive, winner-take-all, unpatriotic, kind of politics in Guyana is becoming starker. Should a seething Jagdeo regain the Presidency with its Executive powers, in this weakened nation, Guyana might never recover from what he is likely to do to us using those executive powers. If the PNC-Coalition with its AFC arm is indeed concerned about the future of Guyana; if they are indeed patriotic and visionary, they will immediately put measures in train to stave off any end-run my Jagdeo.
The Granger-led administration should follow the suggestion of the Court Of Appeal, and put the issue in a referendum to the people. This is the only guaranteed approach, except of course the Coalition knows for sure they will win because they have some sinister plan of returning to power. dc@tbsllp.com

Yours truly,
Dr. Vishnu Bandhu Leader,
URP