The Private Sector Commission (PSC) has called on caretaker president David Granger to state unequivocally that he will accept the recount of the ballots currently underway as the only basis for a final result from the March 2nd general elections.
“The Private Sector Commission believes that it is incumbent upon Mr. Granger, to exercise his authority as Head of State and Leader of the governing party, to state, clearly and unequivocally, whether he and his party will accept the Recount of the ballots currently being conducted by GECOM as the only legitimate evidence for concluding the final and unqualified results of the General and Regional Elections”, the PSC said in a press release on Thursday.
Its call to Granger came after what it said was a troubling statement by APNU+AFC official Joseph Harmon that the report incorporating the controversial District Four tabulation by Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo should be accepted for declaring the result.
The PSC noted that on 18th May, 2020, it congratulated Granger, speaking at his Press Conference on 17th May, 2020, as the Electoral Presidential Candidate of APNU+AFC, for recognising that the recount of the general and regional elections “is necessary to determine the credible final results of the March 2 elections”. Further, Granger had pledged then that his government will abide by the final declaration of the Chairman of GECOM.
“We noted, however, in our statement and expressed our concern over the fact that Mr. Granger is yet to make clear whether he rejects, as unacceptable, the Report by the Chief Election Officer, Keith Lowenfield, submitted to the Chairman of GECOM, of the declarations made by the ten (10) Districts Officers, including the declaration made by Clairmont Mingo, which is still held in abeyance by the Gazetted Order for National Recount,” it said.
“The Private Sector Commission is deeply concerned, therefore, at the most recent statements of APNU+AFC Campaign Manager, Mr. Joseph Harmon, in which he claims that the Report by Mr. Lowenfield to the Chairman of GECOM, which records that the Coalition has won the Elections, should be accepted for declaring the results of the Elections.
“The Private Sector Commission must point out that these statements by Mr. Harmon, who must come under the authority and direction of Mr. Granger, are in direct conflict with and contradict the public commitments made by Mr. Granger `that any declaration coming from the Chairman of GECOM will be accepted by the Government of Guyana,’” it added.
It called for Granger to clarify the matter.
