-Golding says Guyana failed litmus test of orderly transition
After declaring that Guyana is being held hostage, Secretary General (SG) of the Organisation of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro has appealed to the incumbent to desist from further use of the court system to delay a declaration of the results of the March 2 polls.
“I would request that the Court not be resorted to anymore…Accept the recount and allow a transition of government in keeping with the will of the people,” Almagro told a special meeting of the OAS Permanent Council.
The meeting which was convened at the request of the SG to discuss the general elections here, saw several members states appealing to the APNU+AFC to allow a declaration based on the recount results which show a victory for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C).
Former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Bruce Golding told the meeting that because of the actions of the incumbent, Guyana has failed the litmus test of democracy. He explained that a two-person OAS team which observed the recount found it to be professional, transparent and impartial.
“A litmus test of any democracy is the peaceful and orderly transfer of power that is so ordained by the express will of the people. Sadly Guyana has failed that litmus test. The people of Guyana are not to be blamed. They expressed their will in a commendably peaceful and orderly manner on March 2 but the pernicious action of a few have wreaked considerably damage to Guyana’s image and reputation,” Golding who chaired the OAS Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) explained.
He added that even if the matter is now resolved it is likely to take a generation and significant institutional reform for that damage to be fully repaired.
“The people of Guyana did not deserve this…[they]have been patient for much longer than can reasonably be expected while they await the results of a process that was by all accounts well conducted on Election Day. They must wholeheartedly be commended for this. They deserve a peaceful transition of government based on the majority vote as reflected in the recount and in support of democracy and the rule of law,” he added.
Earlier, he had chronicled the exploits of the Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield in unilaterally -“by the stroke of his pen” – chopping more than 60% of the votes cast on the “specious methodology” that allegations by APNU+AFC agents warranted that all of the votes from the questioned ballot boxes being set aside.
The OAS EOM is one of two international observer missions which were present for the national recount the other, a three-person scrutinizing team from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) also found that the process was sufficient for a declaration of results.
Aware
Representative of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Melene Glynn speaking on behalf of CARICOM recommended that the Council remain aware of the situation in Guyana and review it as necessary.
“In the meantime the CARICOM group at OAS commends the people of Guyana for their patience and calm,” she said.
Ambassador Ronald Sanders speaking on behalf of Antigua and Barbuda lamented the fact that Guyana now holds the record for the longest delay between an elections and a declaration.
“Democracy delayed is democracy denied,” he stressed, adding that the Inter-American Democratic Charter enshrines the right of the people to democracy and the responsibility of governments to promote and defend it.
By continuing to delay a declaration, the coalition he noted was testing the patience of the international community.
“GECOM (the Guyana Elections Commission) has not been able to declare a results because supporters of APNU+AFC are encouraged to take the matter to the Court again and again, were this not so GECOM could’ve made a declaration a long time ago,” he said.
According to Sanders the most recent case of Misenga Jones vs GECOM et al could be dragged to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and thereby delay a declaration beyond September 1.
The case which was taken to the Court of Appeal yesterday seeks to have the Order authorizing the national recount invalidated. It also seeks to have the Court compel the Commission to declare results based on the declaration from Returning Officers (RO). One of those declarations which was submitted by Region 4 RO Clairmont Mingo has been widely discredited.
Almagro too noted that the prolonged process is affecting trust not just in local institutions but also in the incumbent political party.
According to the SG, Guyana has remained hostage to the electoral officials who insist on altered results and this has led to a crisis of trust which affects the health of the democratic systems…the solution is to respect the results of the National Recount which was carried out in a professional and transparent manner.
Obstructing
“All who are obstructing a declaration (should) be excluded from the process,” he advised, “It is not serving the institutions, it is not serving the democracy, it is not serving President Granger…this is a historic turning point for Guyana. Without a doubt this will define its future. It is a time for great leaders who can set aside specific interests and inter-party disputes in order to safeguard the system,” he said.
The SG acknowledge that the political situation has affected Guyana’s ability to manage the COIVD-19 pandemic and stressed that it needs to end.
Similar calls were made by Brazil, Canada, Venezuela, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador and Mexico.
Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States, Bradley Freden also added his voice to calls for an end to the stalemate.
Freden stressed that in democracies, leaders step aside when they are voted out of office.
“That speaks to the importance and strength of institutions, not individuals; and to the power of the people, not those who would usurp their power,” he said reminding that senior U.S. officials, including the Secretary of State, have made numerous public statements about Guyana since the March elections.
“Secretary [Mike] Pompeo has stated time and again there would be consequences for individuals who seek to undermine democracy and that is why on July 15 he announced visa restrictions on individuals who are responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Guyana. These could include members of their families as well,” he said noting that the action came after months of warnings and expressions of concern.
Freden further explained that the measures which were not taken lightly were intended to send a clear message of the consequences of subverting democracy and the rule of law and drew attention to the swift international support which the action received.
“This is not an accident. There is no way to minimize how flagrant the actions of Guyana’s leaders have been. If stalemate continues, however, it will only be the Guyanese people who suffer,” he stressed.
Singling out A Partnership for National Unity, he said, it faces a stark choice between being a leader and democratic example within the hemisphere or an international pariah.
“Does Guyana want to have a functioning executive and legislature so it can pass the laws it needs to encourage the development of its people? Or does it want to remain a country whose leaders cannot travel and are subject to sanctions?” he asked.
Earlier in his address he had adverted to the remarks of then CARICOM Chair and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley when the first attempt at a recount of the votes had failed that “there were forces that clearly did not want to see votes recounted.” It also became clear to the international community there were forces that repeatedly refused to accept the will of the people at the ballot box, Freden added.
He also reported to the meeting that the International Republican Institute, which had observed the elections, was barred from entering the country and the Carter Center, with decades of experience and credibility observing elections in Guyana, was similarly barred. “The reasons for these actions still remain unclear”, he said.
