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Court Ruling Sends Guyana to New Elections, as First Oil Output Looms

Reuters

   GEORGETOWN, GUYANA - A regional court on Tuesday upheld the Guyanese
   Parliament's December no-confidence vote in the government, meaning the
   South American country will face new
   elections just as its nascent oil industry appears set to transform the
   economy.

   President David Granger challenged the surprise vote, which came after
   one member of the ruling coalition unexpectedly sided with the
   opposition on the motion, in court. But after several
   appeals, the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice upheld the
   no-confidence vote.

   Guyana's constitution calls for elections to be called within three
   months of a no-confidence vote, unless Parliament extends the deadline.

   That means the vote would likely come before first oil production,
   which is expected for early 2020. ExxonMobil has announced 13 oil
   discoveries off the small country's coast, containing more than 5.5
   billion barrels of recoverable oil and gas.

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