While suggesting that comments by regional leaders on Guyana’s elections process have been “premature” and “reckless,” caretaker president David Granger last night urged that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) be allowed to do its work and once again pledged to abide by whatever declaration it makes.
“Let us wait on the elections commission,” Granger said during an interview on Benschop Radio’s “Straight Up Live” talk show as he once again emphasised that the recount process is not yet over. He stressed the importance of GECOM Chairperson Claudette Singh being allowed to do her work and said when the time comes she will make her declaration and the incumbent APNU+AFC will abide by it.
Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield is expected to present a report to the Commission today on the recount, covering the numbers tabulated as well as the contents of 2,339 observation reports generated over during the process. This is expected to inform GECOM’s final pronouncement on the polls.
According to the tabulation from the recount, the opposition PPP/C secured 233,336 of the 464,506 ballots cast, which would give it an absolute majority in the National Assembly if they are used by GECOM to make a final declaration. Granger’s APNU+AFC has secured 217, 920 votes, while a “remainder” seat will be held by the “joinder list” which includes A New United Guyana (ANUG), the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The New Movement (TNM). These three parties have amassed a total of 5,214 votes.
While the PPP/C has been pushing for GECOM to swiftly make a declaration based on the completed tabulation, APNU+AFC, which had previously claimed victory on doctored numbers used by Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, has since said that it has uncovered numerous irregularities during the recount, including alleged cases of illegal voting, and that these point to a manipulation of the polls. The PPP/C and other contesting parties have dismissed the allegations as being baseless and checks have disproven some of the coalition’s claims while both sides have debated GECOM’s ability to take action on them.
Granger, who himself had last week noted APNU+AFC’s reports of deceased and migrant voters and missing poll documents, during the interview yesterday maintained the claim. “There are too many anomalies to be ignored and that is the reason for the recount that is the reason why CARICOM is here,” he noted.
The recount was agreed by Granger and opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo following an impasse over the manipulated Region Four vote count and its started was delayed after one of the APNU+AFC’s candidates challenged its legality.
The Organisation of American States (OAS) has deemed the recount process credible as has Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Ralph Gonsalves, who on Wednesday said it was expected that GECOM would declare a winner based on the recount. Former Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur yesterday warned of Guyana becoming a rogue state if the results of the process are not accepted.
‘Reckless’
Granger, however, stated as he did in an address to the nation last weekend that the process entails counting, reporting by the Chief Election Officer and the CARICOM observers, a review by GECOM and the declaration of the final results by the Singh-led Commission. “So right now we’ve only completed one stage, we haven’t completed all four stages and that is why it is imprudent for people to rush ahead and claim loss or victory. There is no such justification for such claims at this point in time” the president opined.
Asked about the comments of both Gonsalves and Arthur and whether they could be seen as interference in the country’s internal affairs, Granger said that it is not his or his government’s “style” to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries as he said that the world would be in turmoil if leaders are to “comment and intrude in one another’s internal affairs”. “It would be quite premature, even reckless for anybody outside of the country to come to the conclusion that the process is completed. It hasn’t been completed,” he further said before going on defend an attack on Gonsalves by APNU+AFC agent Joseph Harmon as being correct and saying that he stood by it.
Granger again emphasised that he has been abiding by the constitution, while adding that there is no need for outside commentary as the incumbent has been following the law all along and is not a “rogue government.” “I’m not worried about the outcome of the votes, we’re democrats and whatever is the finding of the elections commission, we will abide by,” he added.
When he was asked what would be the next step if the elections were to be nullified, which APNU+AFC spokespersons have been calling for, Granger said, “I don’t want to speculate… it is a possibility that because of the huge amount of anomalies and irregularities that the commission may make a ruling but I am committed to the people of this country and I would be prepared to obey the instructions or directions of the elections commission and ensure that whatever it takes the people of Guyana must benefit from the outcome of this process.”
Granger also spoke of the importance of shared governance and said he would be prepared to work with anyone to deliver the good life he has promised all Guyanese in his past campaigning.
Bound
Meanwhile, Jagdeo yesterday reiterated PPP/C candidate Irfaan Ali is the President-elect of Guyana and his party is looking for an official declaration of his new status before June 16.
During a video statement issued yesterday, Jagdeo stressed that GECOM is bound to make a declaration on the basis of the recount.
Lowenfield, he contended, can only present for consideration the information and numbers generated by the recount. “It is a passive reporting relationship. He has to just summarise…he will not interject subjectivity,” Jagdeo maintained.
He further maintained that the Commission cannot pronounce on alleged irregularities or declare the elections null and void.
“There is no provision in our constitution to say that GECOM has any authority to void an election, annul it or to call for fresh elections,” he stressed, while adding there is no provision in the constitution or in our laws to say that GECOM can constitute itself into a court of law to hear complaints by contesting parties.
Any challenge to the results, he explained, must come via an election petition after a declaration.
