Following separate meetings earlier yesterday, President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo last night met together with the visiting CARICOM delegation here to discuss the way forward given the current elections impasse and gave commitments to a free and transparent process, CARICOM Chairperson and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley today said.
“…we met with the President and Mr. Jagdeo together in order to be able to chart a way forward. We the leaders of the CARICOM community are committed to working with the people of Guyana for a free and fair process and we made it clear because there is simply too much at stake for the people of Guyana,” Mottley told the press in a brief statement at the Marriott Hotel’s third floor executive lounge, shortly before leaving for the airport.
Flanked by prime ministers Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines; Dr Keith Mitchell of Grenada; Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica; and Dr Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago; Mottley said that both Granger and Jagdeo told the group that they are committed to a transparent process.
“Both sides committed to the fact that they want to abide by the laws of Guyana and the constitution of Guyana they have also committed that they believe there ought to be a free and fair transparent process. Pursuant to that, they met with … their own commissioners with GECOM and we can only hope therefore, that both sides will be able to put in place a mechanism that will allow for a fair and transparent process, because as I said last Saturday, every vote must be counted,” she said.
“The Chief Justice of Guyana ruled yesterday and her ruling was completely clear that she expects the Retuning Officer to start anew or complete the process with respect to the SOPs (Statements of Poll) and we hope and pray there will be an adherence to, not just the law of the judgment but the spirit of the judgment because she was very clear in the last few paragraphs of what she expects…that is critical if this country will go forward,” she added.
Government and the opposition have been asked to speak to their supporters and appeal for calm as the process continues.
Before leaving, the delegation reiterated that CARICOM would not accept attempts to stall the process.
“This morning we have also said that any attempt to stall the process or obfuscate the process is one that runs against the spirit of the Chief Justice’s judgment,” Mottley said.
She noted that it was against the Chief Justice’s background that they “pray” that GECOM’s Returning Officer for Region Four acts with wisdom and the understanding that “he holds, in his hand, the future and stability of Guyana because every vote must be counted.”
