27-09-19 Latin American Weekly Report

Fiery speeches in New York might have grabbed the headlines this week
but developments in Georgetown are likely to have a more long-lasting
impact. While the United Nations General Assembly general debate
unfolded, a heated debate was taking place in Guyana where President
David Granger finally indicated a tentative date for general elections. The
political opposition, which accuses Granger of unconstitutional rule, was
unimpressed with the naming of 2 March 2020 as the earliest date for elections.
The political impasse comes as the oil behemoth Exxon Mobil
announced yet another offshore crude discovery in Guyana, underlining
the economic bonanza the next government can expect and how much is at
stake for national political parties as they vie to shape the country’s future.