Next Tuesday is CCJ ruling on presidential term limit

Last Updated on Saturday, 23 June 2018, 12:12 by Denis Chabrol

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will next week Tuesday decide whether Guyana’s presidential term limit is unconstitutional.

The regional court announced that at 2PM on June 26, 2018 the judgment will be delivered in The Attorney General of Guyana v Cedric Richardson.

“The CCJ will also give its decision on the validity of an amendment
to the Guyana Constitution that altered the qualification to be elected as President of that country. Among other things, there was an amendment which prohibited candidates who had served two
presidential terms of office from serving a third term,” the Trinidad-headquartered CCJ said in a statement.

This ruling will effectively determine whether former President, Bharrat Jagdeo will be able to run again, having been elected in 2001 and 2006.

The Guyana Court of Appeal had ruled, by a majority of 2-1 with the present Acting Chancellor dissenting, that that the amendment indirectly breached Articles 1 and 9 of the  Constitution which Articles entrench the concept that Guyana is a secular, democratic state in which sovereignty belongs to the people of Guyana.

Mr Richardson had earlier successfully argued in the Guyanese courts that the amendment breached his right to elect a President of his choice.