Election of opposition leader set for Wednesday
By Patrick Denny
For the first time since it became independent in 1966, Guyana will have a leader of the opposition elected by members of the National Assembly and not by the Head of State. Members of the parliamentary opposition will elect a leader on Wednesday at a meeting to be convened at 2:00 pm for that purpose by Speaker of the National Assembly, Derek Jagan. The delay in convening the meeting was due to the absence from the country of PNC leader, Desmond Hoyte, who was at an investment conference in Miami, Florida and returned on Thursday. Hoyte is widely expected to be the elected leader as his party has the largest block of seats on the opposition benches. The office of Minority Leader was repealed by the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2000, which came into force on April 11, and provides for the election of the leader of the opposition by the opposition members of parliament. With the election of the opposition leader, the stage would be set for the formal consultations to begin on compiling a list of six names not unacceptable to the President from which he would select the chairman of the Elections Commission. In the event the opposition is unable to come up with a list of six acceptable names qualified to be appointed, the Act provides for the President to restrict his selection to a person who has been a High Court judge or is eligible to be appointed as a judge. A statement by the PPP/Civic issued yesterday said that following the election of the leader of the opposition, it was expected that "diligent attempts would be made to carry out meaningful consultations with the non-governmental political parties in the National Assembly to identify persons who are qualified for appointment to the post of the chairman of the Elections Commission." The statement also indicated the readiness of the PPP "to contest early elections within the framework of the Herdmanston Accord. "Towards this end it expects the reconstituted Elections Commission will put in place all the mechanisms and standards, including a credible voter list and a fair distribution of voter ID cards, for a transparent and certified poll before a date of nomination is designated." The date statutorily mandated by which the general and regional elections should be held within the Herdmanston Accord is January 17, 2001. However, a timetable for holding the election recommended by a European Union Needs Assessment Mission and on the basis of which its says the donor community assistance should be provided is 43 weeks from the date the Elections Commission is sworn in by President Bharrat Jagdeo.
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