President David Granger yesterday said that he looked forward to the `total national recount’ of votes by a CARICOM high-level team being completed as quickly as possible under the auspices of GECOM and asked for the public to be patient.
He made the statements in a national address where he disclosed that he had raised with CARICOM Chair, Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados that the high-level team should work within a constitutional framework. (See other story on page three.)
Swingeing pressure has come from Western countries against any swearing in of a President on the basis of the controversial tabulation for Region Four. The warnings had come when there appeared to be plans to swear in Granger on a controversial count. There have been overt signs from Washington that sanctions could be applied to officials interfering with the democratic process. Granger’s reaching out to CARICOM on Saturday has been seen as linked to the pressures that have come from the US, UK, Canada and the European Union.
Yesterday, Granger again reiterated his separation from the electoral process and continued to blame the opposition PPP for some of the events that occurred in recent days.
He said that the General and Regional Elections of 2nd March 2020 were conducted peacefully and in accordance with the Constitution and laws of Guyana but that the events, thereafter, have marred the “excellent work” of the Guyana Elections Commission.
He added that confusion ensued at the Office of the Returning Officer for District Four in the wee hours of Wednesday, 4th March 2020 as a result of an “invasion of the premises by political elements”.
Statements following the events of 4th March by the observer missions also created uncertainty in the minds of the citizenry, he contended. These missions had expressed grave misgivings about the conduct of the Region Four Returning Officer.
“The Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP), so far approached the Supreme Court on three separate occasions to obstruct the work of the Elections Commission. Those actions coupled with the calls for recount, allowed for the Supreme Court to determine the way forward. This was done.
“The Chairperson of the Elections Commission, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, has stated publicly that she will abide by the ruling of the Court. I, too, have said that I will abide by the ruling of the Court”, Granger said.
He pointed out that as a result of the delays and statements by the observer missions, the Caribbean Community sent a five-member delegation of Prime Ministers to Guyana on a two-day mission on 11-12 March to work with stakeholders to craft a path forward out of the present political situation. It was at this meeting that the recount proposal was floated.
Granger added: “Guyanese, I iterate that I have no role to play in the work of the Elections Commission. I cannot bring the process to an end; the Elections Commission must be allowed to do its work.
“I am committed to the rule of law and the Constitution. I respect the integrity and autonomous nature of the Elections Commission. I will abide by the declarations of the Elections Commission as I have abided by the rulings of the Court.
“I urge you to be patient as we comply with the rulings of the Court and the decisions of the Commission. I advise you to avoid provocation by certain lawless elements who committed acts of violence against innocent school children, nurses and police officers”.
