Lowenfield defies GECOM Chair

By Thandeka Percival On In Guyana News |
Table showing the results reported on July 11 by Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield for the two larger parties. Also included are: the declaration made on March 13 following the second Region 4 declaration by Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo and the certified results of the National Recount completed on June 8. Lowenfield appears to have used Mingo’s declaration and altered those of the Districts One, Two, Five, Six, Seven and Eight.
Table showing the results reported on July 11 by Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield for the two larger parties. Also included are: the declaration made on March 13 following the second Region 4 declaration by Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo and the certified results of the National Recount completed on June 8. Lowenfield appears to have used Mingo’s declaration and altered those of the Districts One, Two, Five, Six, Seven and Eight.

Embattled Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield yesterday presented figures to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) showing a victory for the incumbent APNU+AFC—in clear defiance of the instruction by the Chair Claudette Singh to utilise the recount tabulation which shows a win for the opposition PPP/C.

As international pressure on GECOM builds for a lawful declaration, Lowenfield’s recalcitrance presents a dilemma for Singh on how to have the recount figure certified as she has promised that she would. With no quorum yesterday for a meeting as the three-government appointed commissioners were absent, a meeting could be convened tomorrow at which Singh will have to decide how the recount figure will be placed before GECOM. If tomorrow’s meeting is held it could result in a declaration even without the government-appointed commissioners as the required quorum would then be the chair plus three commissioners.

Singh was silent yesterday on the way forward.