Politics

Political analyst, Senior Counsel Ralph Ramkarran and Political Scientist, David Hinds Friday expressed disappointment in President David Granger’s unilateral appointment of a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission. Hinds lamented that Granger’s move does not send the right signal to Guyanese about “holding the country together” and consensus building on key subjects like the oil industry and  constitutional reform, among ...

The Alliance For Change (AFC), one of the parties in the governing coalition, Friday said it would guard against electoral practices, and that it was not involved in selecting  Retired Justice James Patterson as the next Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). “The AFC holds GECOM to the highest standards of electoral integrity and will stridently challenge any threats to the ...

Guyana’s Private Sector Commission (PSC) on Friday warned that President David Granger’s unilateral appointment of a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) would result in political and economic instability. “The decision of the President to act unilaterally and independently of the submissions of the Leader of the Opposition poses a clear threat to democracy and will inevitably divide the ...

President David Granger Thursday night defended the swearing in of 84-year old Retired Justice James Patterson as the new Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, and  both gentlemen dismissed suggestions that age could be a major humbug in dealing with the political rigours of the job. Granger explained why he thought Patterson was “fit and proper” to head the elections ...

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo said President David Granger has informed him that he has decided to appoint Retired Justice James Patterson as the next Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), sparking off a decision by the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) to refuse to cooperate with the government. “Right now this government will not get our cooperation on any issue ...

President David Granger is Thursday evening set to swear in a new Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission, after rejecting Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo’s three lists containing a total of 18 names. Sources said the man tipped to be sworn in by the President is a retired judge, apparently in keeping with Granger’s long-held view that the person should be ...

Small-scale gold miners, who have banded themselves together in syndicates, on Thursday demanded that they be given more than 10 mining blocks, at a meeting that clearly pitted Junior Minister of Natural Resources, Simona Broomes against Senior Minister, Raphael Trotman. Chairman of the National Mining Syndicate (NMS), Renwick Solomon restated that the syndicates do not want the number of blocks ...

Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan Thursday admitted that government’s failure to appoint several constitutional commissions was unsatisfactory but he stopped short of openly criticising the government or explaining the reasons. Yet to be appointed are the Integrity Commission, Ethnic Relations Commission, Local Government Commission, Human Rights Commission and more recently the Teaching Service Commission, Police Service ...

Chairman of the Alliance For Change (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan on Thursday said he would not support pushing back holding general elections until constitutional reform is complete, even as the opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) hinted that the protracted delay in appointing a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) would have implications for the next polls. Appearing on a panel ...

People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) executive member, Dr. Roger Luncheon on Tuesday questioned the constitutionality of Minister of State, Joseph Harmon being the holder of two public offices- Cabinet Secretary and Secretary to the Defence Board. “In light of the disclosure by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, that he is the Secretary to the Cabinet, while at the same time ...