Guyana situation likely to work itself out - CARICOM leaders Guyana Chronicle January 21, 2001 CARIBBEAN Community (CARICOM) leaders feel the political situation here is likely to work itself out and is not of such pressing concern to the grouping. Current Chairman of the community, Prime Minister Owen Arthur of Barbados said the leaders discussed political developments here when they met in Montego Bay, Jamaica Friday. But Arthur told reporters in the Jamaica tourist resort the leaders believed that the situation in Guyana is likely to work itself out, and is not of such pressing concern. Heads of government met for almost six hours at the plush Half Moon Conference Centre following an earlier summit with Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien. President Bharrat Jagdeo was not at the summit and Foreign Minister Clement Rohee led Guyana's delegation to the meeting. Arthur told reporters that although the political situation in Trinidad and Tobago was not the only issue discussed, it consumed the most time when the heads met after the summit. They heard from Prime Minister of St. Lucia Kenny Anthony, who has special responsibility for justice and governance and is the CARICOM monitor for Guyana. CARICOM is fielding a long-term team of observers here for the scheduled March 19 elections and Anthony has been closely involved in watching political developments and progress towards the elections. But leader of the main Opposition People's National Congress/Reform (PNC/Reform), Mr Desmond Hoyte has come out against Anthony playing any role in the political affairs of this country. Addressing a rally at the launch of his party's elections campaign in Georgetown Sunday, he said that through a recent letter, Anthony has disqualified himself from having anything to do with the affairs of this country. He claimed that Anthony was writing letters which "to say the least are inappropriate and unwise." "Guyana is not a colony of St Lucia," Hoyte declared, adding, "Dr Anthony has no business interfering in our affairs, and his letters are made inappropriate." The CARICOM leaders met as political parties here awaited the next step in the court challenge to the December 1997 elections. The way forward in the run-up to the elections depends on a clear and unambiguous order from Justice Claudette Singh, following her decision Monday in the 1997 elections petition case, a senior government official has said. Head of the Presidential Secretariat and Cabinet Secretary, Dr Roger Luncheon said Friday that any meaningful discussion among political parties can only take place after the judge hands down a definitive order on the elections petition issue. At a news conference at the GTV 11 studios in Georgetown, he stressed too the desire for political consensus in the country, saying the judge's ruling has given Cabinet further insight into the need for such agreement. Justice Singh is to Tuesday give the order resulting from her ruling that although irregularities were not enough to overturn the results of the December 15, 1997 elections, the use of a special voter ID card was unconstitutional and this vitiated (made invalid) the polls. The petition was filed by Esther Perreira, a PNC supporter. "We have to get the order...we have to define the way forward...the situation can be only be helped by a well-constructed constitutional way forward," Luncheon said. The PNC has contended that the judge's decision means the government is illegitimate and had asked for a meeting of the parliamentary parties to discuss the situation. Luncheon, though, said the judge's order will introduce important considerations which are still unknown. He said any meeting among political parties on the situation before then would not be useful. Luncheon said the government would not go for anything that would compromise its efficiency or effectiveness and noted that President Jagdeo has already announced that until March 18, the government will restrain the exercise of its powers in four broad areas: ** it would not sign and enter into major international contracts ** not appoint functionaries to key posts ** not pass the National Budget ** nor introduce new legislation in Parliament (unless there is consensus among the parliamentary parties). He said that though there is major focus on the ruling and findings from the elections petition, Cabinet and the government feel it is incumbent on them (the government) to define a way forward. And while Cabinet has recognised the importance of political consensus and the extent to which dialogue can provide solutions to issues in a constitutional way, Luncheon signalled that the government may appeal the judge's decision. Arriving at a consensus does not preclude a recourse to the courts, he told reporters. The government will continue to exercise its mandate, he stressed. Slamming Anthony, Hoyte Sunday told his supporters: "I believe that by his unwarranted interference he has disqualified himself to play any useful role in Guyana in terms of any political problems it has. It is most unfortunate but that is the position and this is my stance." Hoyte said he intends to communicate this to the CARICOM envoy but because he had own priorities, that was not a matter of urgency now and can wait. He took offence at a January 9, 2001 letter from Anthony to him in relation to governance of the country after the January 17 deadline set by the Herdmanston Accord for holding general elections here. Anthony told Hoyte that a two-month delay in holding the elections is not "unreasonable". He reaffirmed the importance of the CARICOM-brokered `Herdmanston Accord' of January 1998 for new elections by January 17, 2001, in resolving a then post-1997 election "political impasse". But he told Hoyte he would be concerned if the Constitution Reform Act of Guyana "is treated with manifest disregard" by the signatory parties to the Herdmanston Accord. "I believe it is essential to bear in mind", said Anthony, "that neither the Herdmanston Accord nor the (related) 'St. Lucia Statement' envisaged the present situation in Guyana. "The parties to the Herdmanston Accord (then President Janet Jagan and the PNC leader) set January 17, 2001 for the elections on the assumption that all measures specified in the Accord would have been approved before the due date of January 17,2001." "The reasons for the failure to meet all conditions specified", added Anthony, "are known to the parties, the Guyanese people and the Caribbean Community. "However, as the (Herdmanston) Accord and (St. Lucia) Statement cannot address this particular situation, it is to the (Guyana) Constitution that we must turn for guidance, bearing in mind the spirit and intent of the Accord and Statement..." In his response Anthony also alluded to a letter sent him by President Bharrat Jagdeo. The President had outlined his administration's willingness to pursue voluntary restraint in governance after January 17 pending the outcome of the scheduled March 19 elections, but no question of handing over the government to any interim arrangement as called for by the PNC. The PNC, however, has interpreted the 'Herdmanston Accord' to mean that since the elections cannot be held on January 17, as was originally envisaged, then an interim governance arrangement should be established until the outcome of the March 19 poll. Basically, to avoid disadvantaging the opposition. But the governing People's Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/Civic) insists that such a political development could not be supported by the Guyana Constitution which stands supreme above the 'Herdmanston Accord'. Follow the goings-on in Guyana in Guyana Today