Guyana News

CARICOM Chair, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley today called on electoral officials here and other stakeholders to ensure the transparent conclusion of the tabulation of votes at Monday’s elections by using Statements of poll. 

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire hears an injunction against GECOM. Justice Navindra Singh on Thursday granted an injunction in the matter against the Guyana Elections Commission, Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield and Returning Officer for Region Four Clairmont Mingo.

The Guyana Police Force today said Sewdat Hansraj, the Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice youth who was fatally shot last night, had been attacking ranks with a cutlass.

Homeline Furnishing and Digicel located in Rosignol, West Bank Berbice, were looted last night, while a number of persons were attacked amidst ongoing political protests in the region.

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire will this morning preside over an emergency hearing on an application seeking to have the tabulation of votes in Region Four at Monday’s general elections done according to the law prior to the declaration of a final result.

A Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice youth was fatally shot last night as violent protests that gripped the area earlier in the day continued and another teenager was also critically injured but was unable to be transported to the hospital in Georgetown for further medical care due to the roads being blocked by protesters.

Scenes of violence unfolded and a bus transporting schoolchildren was attacked, police were stoned and chased, motorists were harassed and roads were blocked and set afire as rioters, protesting what they claimed were “rigged” elections, rampaged at several locations in Berbice yesterday.

Protests at Lusignan and Mon Repos on the East Coast Demerara (ECD) erupted into violence and three persons were injured after being shot by pellets fired by the police as hundreds of persons gathered to demonstrate against what they claimed was the “rigging” of Monday’s elections. 

Voicing their concern over “credible allegations of electoral fraud” that they say could influence the results of Monday’s general and regional elections, the heads of the western missions in Guyana yesterday urged President David Granger against a potentially unconstitutional transition of government.

The United States Department of State yesterday warned against any declaration of victory or swearing in as a result of Monday’s polls while questions remain about the credibility of the process.

The APNU+AFC coalition yesterday called on citizens to remain calm and not engage in any act to disrupt national life or cause any strife or inconvenience even as it noted that the final declaration of results of Monday’s general election by the Guyana Elections Commission is still being awaited.

With protests against the announced unverified election results for Region Four erupting into violence in some cases, the opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) yesterday urged its supporters against breaking the law, while saying that it was working to thwart attempts to undermine the vote count.

Residents of Lethem are anxious for all the roads in the town to be upgraded after seeing the effect that the new asphalt road has had on the town.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has identified Guyana as one of several countries in the Americas that are at high risk of contracting the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) due to its weak health system.

Inspector Junior Blair, who is attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), on Thursday continued his testimony at the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into the charge against Devon Johnson, who is accused of murdering vagrant Andrew Benjamin.

The international observer missions from the Commonwealth, the Organization of American States (OAS), the European Union (EU), and The Carter Center, and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) yesterday said the results of the general and regional elections cannot be credibly declared unless the count for Region Four is lawfully completed.

The Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) yesterday called on GECOM to complete the tabulation of the Region Four vote at Monday’s general elections utilising the statements of poll.

United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Mikiko Tanaka yesterday called on Guyanese authorities to ensure that the process for finalising the tabulation of results is done in a manner that leaves no doubts about its credibility.

Warning about the possible blacklisting of the country, the miners association yesterday called on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to conclude the tabulation of results for Region Four in accordance with the law.

The Guyana Trades Union Congress  (GTUC) and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) yesterday condemned the invasion of GECOM’s High and Hadfield streets office by opposition leaders and supporters on Thursday.