Guyana gets new President

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali was sworn in as Guyana's ninth Executive President on Sunday.

The swearing-in brought an end to a protracted period of challenges to the results of the 2 March General and Regional elections.  It was done shortly after the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) declared Ali the President-elect from those elections.

In a Statement after taking his oath of Office, President Ali promised that his PPP/Civic government “will serve all the people of Guyana”.

Out-going President Mr. David Granger, in a Statement on Sunday, publicly acknowledged GECOM’s election declaration.

“I have stated, repeatedly, from the start of the electoral process, that the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition would respect the lawful ‘declaration’ of the Elections Commission.  I have never altered this position and I do now acknowledge the ‘declaration.’”

Former President Mr Bharrat Jagdeo, who was sworn in as Vice-President, will head a transition team. President Ali announced that a full inauguration ceremony will be held later in the week at which he will provide greater details of his Administration’s plans for governance, and complete appointments to his cabinet. The new Prime Minister  Mr Mark Phillips, Attorney General Mr Anil Nandlall and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Ms Gail Teixeria were sworn in on Sunday.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) mounted an Observer Mission for the 2 March Elections and a High Level Team of Scrutineers for a Vote Recount which was used for the declaration of the results.

[caption id="attachment_25643" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The CARICOM High Level Team of Election Recount Scrutineers arriving in Guyana in May[/caption]

In March a Team of CARICOM Prime Ministers, led by then CARICOM Chair, Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, and including Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica; Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell of Grenada; Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago and CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, met with leading political figures in Guyana, including Mr. Granger and Mr. Ali.

[caption id="attachment_25644" align="aligncenter" width="640"] CARICOM Prime Ministers and Secretary-General speaking to the media following their meetings in Guyana in March[/caption]