GECOM meeting on national recount summoned

Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice Claudette Singh on Sunday afternoon summoned a meeting with all six commissioners to discuss the way forward for the national recount of votes cast at the March 2 general and regional elections.

The News Room understands that the three Government nominated Commissioners were awaiting an official communique from the leaders of the APNU+AFC and the PPP sanctioning the high-level CARICOM team to oversee the recount of ballots cast.

The News Room was informed that the three Government nominated Commissioners met with President David Granger at State House this morning to discuss the reason for the CARICOM team being here. These Commissioners want to be officially informed of the presence of the CARICOM team and what their objectives are.

But during an interview with the News Room, Justice Singh said she already indicated to the Commissioners that she wants to meet today and she has been waiting at the GECOM Headquarters in Kingston, Georgetown since this morning.

When contacted, Vincent Alexander – a Government nominated Commissioner – told the News Room that the official communique from Mr Granger and PPP Leader Bharrat Jagdeo should have been sent to the GECOM Chairman.

The team comprises: Francine Baron, Foreign Affairs Minister and Former Attorney General of Dominica; Mr. Anthony Boatswain, former Minister of Finance of Grenada; Ms. Cynthia Barrow-Giles, Senior Lecturer in Department of Government of UWI; and the Chief Elections Officers of Barbados and Trinidad.

The team was invited in after a highly contentious vote count in Region Four, which local and international observers say were not transparent.

GECOM, which is managing the process, Saturday evening decided it would wait for the team’s arrival and meet with them and decide on the way forward.

Justice Singh has already given her commitment to facilitate the recount of the votes in the ten regions of Guyana.