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St Lucia PM Understands Delay, but wants Firm Date Set for Guyana Elections
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St Lucia PM Understands Delay, but wants Firm Date Set for Guyana Elections
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Contact: Prime Minister's Press Secretary November 23, 2000 Prime Minister Dr Kenny D. Anthony says he understands the circumstances that led to the delay in holding general elections in Guyana on January 17, 2001 as earlier agreed. But he feels it’s time for a firm date to be set for the republic’s next general elections. Dr Anthony, who is the Prime Minister with lead responsibility for Governance and Justice within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) says: "Much hinges on legislation to be passed in the Guyana parliament that will, among other things, allow for a date to be set by the Guyana Elections Commission(GECOM)." The four parliamentary parties that are represented on the GECOM -- differ on how to distribute the 25 seats allocated for the country’s ten geographic constituencies. But they have so far agreed on all other bills related to the elections that have been brought to the country’s parliament.
Dr Anthony has so far visited Guyana twice for talks with the government, political parties, private sector, religious bodies, trade unions and other institutions and entities relating to the political process. The discussions in Georgetown centred around implementation of the Herdmanston Accord of 1997 and the St. Lucia Statement of 1998 -- two agreements between the two major political parties (PPP/Civic and PNC) and CARICOM, that originally set the time frame and framework for the upcoming poll. The St. Lucia Prime Minister also met with the Donor Community in Guyana, representing the UK, Canada, USA, United Nations, EU, USAID and the IDB, who have been coordinating financial and logistical support for the GECOM. Following his last visit to Guyana at the end of October, Dr Anthony, who signed the 1998 St. Lucia Statement on behalf of CARICOM, recommended that CARICOM field an observer mission for the elections. Other observer teams are also likely to come from the Commonwealth and the Organisation of American States (OAS). The Herdmanston Accord, signed on January 17, 1997, called for elections to be held exactly three years later on January 17, 2000. But apart from the proposed date being a Sunday, the GECOM has indicated that deadline cannot now be met. The Guyana National Assembly (parliament) is expected to meet today (November 23) to pass the latest piece of election legislation, which will empower the GECOM to set a date. Dr Anthony says: "I have every hope that the parties, which have found common ground on many other contentious issues before, will find the will and the way to ensure that the parliamentary and other processes yet to be determined will be done, so that the process can continue." |
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The St. Lucia Prime
Minister says he has "no doubt that those involved in the political process have
the will and will find the way to iron out whatever differences may result in
further delays in the establishment of a set and firm date for the elections."