After 35 days, the recount of ballots cast on March 2 concluded yesterday with the certification of the results of both the General and Regional Elections in District Four, the largest and most contentious electoral district.
According to opposition-nominated member of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Sase Gunraj, everyone is now waiting on Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield’s reports.
“The Chief Election Officer (CEO) had asked for five days after the last box was counted…this is day two. We are ahead of schedule and I am expecting the reports in a few days. Pursuant to the Order the Commission will make a declaration three days after receipt of the CEO’s report,” he explained to media yesterday.
Specifically, Low-enfield is expected to submit a summary of the certificates signed for each district and a summary of the observation reports submitted within each district.
Another report expected is that of the three-person scrutinizing team from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Gunraj explained that there is no timeline for the delivery of that report but expressed the view that the Commission would consider its contents if it were received before a declaration is made. He however stressed that it is not a prerequisite for GECOM’s deliberation.
The results which show the PPP/C winning the General Elections have been accepted by 10 of the 11 parties which contested Elections in that District and show that returning officer Clairmont Mingo did falsify the results he announced on March 5 and March 13 for Demerara-Mahaica.
Despite this, the incumbent APNU+AFC has refused to denounce Mingo’s declarations. Instead they have condemned the results of the recount as lacking credibility and urged the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to find that a significant number of votes cast were not valid.
Speaking with the media outside the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, coalition representative Daniel Seeram reminded that an investigation into the discrepancies highlighted by his party was still ongoing and lamented that his party has received no update on this investigation.
His colleague, Juretha Fernandes, also claimed that the observation reports have cast “more than a shadow of doubt” on the credibility of the results.
“From day one we went into the first box and saw numerous anomalies,” she said, adding that it was up to CARICOM and the CEO to reflect these anomalies in their reports.
Fernandes’ concern was not shared by any of the other political parties present yesterday.
Lenox Shuman, presidential candidate of the Liberty and Justice Party told reporters he didn’t think the observation reports would have any impact on the results. A similar sentiment was expressed by representatives of the United Republican Party (URP) and the People’s Republic Party (PRP).
The PRP representative reminded that in everything there must be a winner and a loser and called on those who have lost to accept it.
“It’s time for our nation to heal,” he said.
Dr Frank Anthony, who signed on behalf of the PPP/C, reiterated his party’s position that the observation reports can’t impact the results.
“The Order issued was clear,” he said.
Attorney General Basil Williams has disagreed with this interpretation of the Order.
In a statement to the public yesterday he argued that the PPP/C has asked GECOM to turn its back on its own order by claiming that the process was concerned with the recount of ballots only and not the credibility of the March 2, 2020 elections.
He stressed that Order No. 60 of 2020, made under Article 162 (1) (b) of the Constitution and Section 22 of the Election Laws (Amendment) Act No. 15 of 2000 has stated that both the CEO and the Commission had to assess the discrepancies revealed in the Observation Report Forms.
The PPP/C has argued that it is for the judiciary to pronounce on the credibility of the elections process via an election petition.
“Any lawyer worth his salt would know that as a constitutional Commission the decision-making processes of GECOM would be of a quasi-judicial nature,” he said.
