Caribbean National Weekly

Opposition leader warns of street protests in Guyana

By Andrew Karim··1 min read
Opposition leader warns of street protests in Guyana
Key Points(5)
  • The opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is warning that it will stage street protests if President David Granger goes ahead and unilaterally appoints a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to replace the retiring Dr.
  • Steve Surujbally, who has served in the position for more than a decade.
  • Opposition Leader and PPP general secretary, Bharat Jagdeo told party supporters on Sunday that the country’s Constitution does not provide for Granger to make the appointment without consultation from the opposition.
  • We will not take that sitting down.
  • We will have to hit the streets running,” he said at a ceremony marking the 20<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the death of the PPP’s founder leader and former president, Cheddi Jagan.

The opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) is warning that it will stage street protests if President David Granger goes ahead and unilaterally appoints a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to replace the retiring Dr. Steve Surujbally, who has served in the position for more than a decade.

Opposition Leader and PPP general secretary, Bharat Jagdeo told party supporters on Sunday that the country’s Constitution does not provide for Granger to make the appointment without consultation from the opposition.

We will not take that sitting down. We will have to hit the streets running,” he said at a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the death of the PPP’s founder leader and former president, Cheddi Jagan.

Jagdeo said that it is the chairman, who holds a “delicate balance” between the three government and three opposition GEOCOM commissioners.

President Granger and Jagdeo are at loggerheads over the appointment and the PPP has already said it would challenge any unilateral appointment of a GECOM Chairman in the Court.

Granger has already rejected the six nominees put forward by the Opposition Leader.

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