Recently there was a big to-do about the joint statement by the United States, Britain and the European Union, chiding the APNU-AFC for, according to them, “surpassing September 18.” They announced they were no longer supporting Guyana’s development. Supporters of the PPP were estatic, and supporters of the government were indignant. These sentiments will be amplified on both sides now that the Commonwealth Secretary General has called on the government to “restore constitutional rule in Guyana by immediately setting an early election date. “
The PPP government faced a similar situation when President Donald Ramotar prorogued Parliament in 2014. On that occasion, the PPP, in seeking to avoid a no confidence motion, wanted to complete their term by governing without Parliament for two years. The response of the ABC countries was firm.
Shortly after President Ramotar prorogued Parliament, the UK High Commissioner issued a statement on November 18, 2014 calling on the PPP to reconvene Parliament. The High Commissioner followed up with a harsher statement on January 15, 2015. On this occasion he demanded elections at the earliest possible time, and threatened to take the issue to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group. Such action could have resulted in Guyana being suspended from the Commonwealth. On January 16, 2015 the United States charge’ d’affaires issued a statement calling on the PPP to call elections.
The PPP was defiant in the face of the calls from the international community that elections be called. Former PPP Foreign Affairs Minister, Clemente Rohee, declared that the government didn’t have to listen to Britain. He said, “some members of the diplomatic community are becoming more and more involved in our internal affairs especially when it comes to holding of elections… ” Rohee then asserted that it is normal for members of the diplomatic community to make these statements, but it is up to the government to determine how to respond.
On January 20, 2015 Donald Ramotar announced the election date as May 11, 2015. However, he did not dissolve Parliament. His explanation was that if he dissolved Parliament elections would have had to be called within 90 days of January 20. He explained that GECOM would not be ready for an earlier date, and any earlier date would also result in a truncated Claims and Objection period. Ramotar eventually dissolved the Parliament on February 28, 2015, thirty-nine days after he announced the election date.
It is instructive that we examine the timelines a bit closer. On November 10, 2014 President Ramotar prorogued Parliament to avoid a No Confidence Motion. Eight days after the UK High Commission called on the PPP to recall Parliament. After 48 days of engaging the PPP, and the suspension of aid, on January 15, the UK threatened action by the Commonwealth. Five days after, Ramotar announced the date for elections, and he dissolved Parliament thirty-nine days after the announcement. Elections were held seventy-two days after Parliament was dissolved or one hundred and seventy-two days after President Ramotar prorogued Parliament. Or to put it differently, the elections were held eighty two days after it would have been held if Ramotar had dissolved Parliament on November 10, 2014, as he should have.
It should be appreciated that donor countries will speak on these issues. They might even suspended aid, as it is their right, since it is their tax payers money. However, a hallmark of their action must be consistency.
In 2014 they were advised that GECOM will not be ready for elections within the time frame. The process dragged out for one hundred and seventy-two days, as they issued statements from time to time.
We are almost in a similar situation. GECOM has given a February 2020 timeline. President Granger has committed to calling early elections, and has indicated he will announce an election date soon. However, GECOM has to be given the time it requires.
The PPP will conveniently forget what happened a mere four years ago. It is up to us to constantly remind them. That they attempted to run the country for two years without a Parliament. That they held the elections eighty two days late. That they announced election date without dissolving Parliament. That they were caustic in response to statements by the donor community. That they even branded the outgoing UK High Commissioner a pariah, because of the statements he made about their failure to call elections.
At this point supporters of the government should not be agitated about statements by the donor community. That’s the role they play. The role of supporters at this time is to be ready for elections whenever President Granger calls it; January, February or March.