US Congressman urges political stability in Guyana
WASHINGTON, DC, United States (CMC) — A senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the United States Congress, Gregory W Meeks, says political stability is key to the advancement of Guyana where the coalition government of President David Granger has fallen due to an Opposition-inspired motion of no confidence last month.
In a statement over the weekend, the Democratic Party legislator, who is the US Representative for New York’s 5th congressional district, said that he continues “to closely monitor the unfolding political situation in Guyana”.
The main Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has named former Government minister Irfaan Ali as its presidential candidate for the elections, which it said must be held by March this year in accordance with the Guyana Constitution.
The PPP has been calling for the polls after its general secretary Bharrat Jagdeo successfully tabled a motion of no confidence against the coalition Government last month. The PPP received the backing of then Government back — bencher Charrandass Persaud, in ensuring victory in the 65-member National Assembly on December 21 last year.
The Government has gone to the High Court to challenge the validity of the votes cast in the motion of no confidence and the acting chief justice, Roxanne George-wiltshire, said she intended to give a ruling by the end of this month.
In his statement, Meeks said that he wanted to reaffirm “the bond that the United States and Guyana share” and as a result of such a bond “I want to see democracy prevail as it must in all strong and thriving democracies”.
“Guyana is one of our hemisphere’s most strategically important partners, and it stands at the brink of potentially transformative economic development. As an emerging economy, political stability is key to the advancement of Guyana and the people of that great nation,” he added.