Presidential candidate of Change Guyana, Robert Badal is adamant that President David Granger must provide leadership and take Guyana out of its current electoral dilemma.
In a release issued by the party yesterday, Badal stated that while President Granger has repeatedly stated that GECOM is independent of the Government and that he has no influence over its operations and will abide by the advice of GECOM, no one in Guyana or the international community would believe this; “given GECOM’s openly declaring fraudulent results for Region 4 showing his party as the winner of the March 2 elections.”
He referred to the recent injunction against a recount of the votes agreed to by the Presi-dent and the Leader of the Oppo-sition, brokered by Caricom leaders, which has stalled the recount, as yet another attempt to “frustrate the electoral process in arriving at transparent and credible results.” It matters not, the release declared, if the injunction was initiated by “an uncontrolled element within the President’s own party with the convenience of a High Court Judge” or otherwise, for it does not reduce the fact that the President is the CEO of this country and he is therefore directly and fully responsible. Adding, “In executing his duties he ought to put personal, party or other considerations aside and put the interest of our country and people first.” According to Badal, “While businesses are closing, workers sent home without pay, economic activity stalled, reputable observers leave in frustration, international sanctions threatened, racial division widened, our people and country are on the precipice of self-destruction, the President is absent or flippant at most. He must act now without further delay.”While emphasising that time is of the essence, Badal iterated that all Guyanese must call on Granger to do his job, without any further delay, the release added.
It is time, the release added, that Granger urgently provide the leadership by demanding that the recount of the votes proceed without interference, that it be done by the Caricom team appointed in the presence of contesting party’s representatives, without interference from GECOM, that the results of such recount be submitted to the Chairman of GECOM, who then declares the winning party.
