U.S. State Department says no candidate should be sworn in until Region Four issues resolved

The U.S. Department of State has urged that no candidate be sworn in until issues are resolved surrounding the declaration of unverified results for the country’s largest voting district.

“At this juncture, preparations to install officials without resolving the serious issues identified in the vote counting process would create a climate of uncertainty for the citizens of Guyana, Guyana’s international partners, and businesses looking to invest in Guyana,” said Ambassador Michael Kozak, Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.

Mr Clairmont Mingo, the Returning Officer for the Region Four Electoral District, on Thursday signed off on a declaration that put the APNU+AFC in the lead to take the seat of government, but the opposition say if a verification of the statements of poll are verified, it would show the PPP winning.

The opposition PPP and international and local observers want to see the verification process completed before any declaration of the overall results of the elections are made.

In a statement to the News Room, Kozak stated: “We urge that no further results be announced and that no candidate take an oath of office until the vote count is complete and all questions have been resolved according to the process established under Guyanese law.”

According to Kozak, the Department of State is tracking the vote count after Guyana’s March 2 elections, and we share the concerns expressed by OAS and other electoral observers about the credibility of the counting process,”

He said that a resolution of the issues in accordance in law is what will ensure the ability of the Guyanese people to choose their leadership. He noted that independent electoral observation missions are on the ground to verify that the votes are counted accurately and transparently.