Five political parties disappointed in GECOM Chairman’s decision of 10 recount stations

See below full statement issued by A New and United Guyana (ANUG), Change Guyana (CG), Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), The New Movement (TNM) and the United Republican Party (URP).

PRESS STATEMENT    

The new political parties that contested the March 2, 2020, general and regional elections are deeply disappointed at the decision of the Chair of GECOM, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh who decided that only ten (10) stations should be established for recounting the votes of the ten regions as has been decided by GECOM.

There has been no announcement of the hours of work but we suggest that there should be two sessions of eight (8) hours each with one (1) break each for lunch and dinner.

With the four months constitutional deadline for the convening of Parliament after its dissolution ending on April 30, GECOM must be seen as making every effort to ensure that the Constitution of Guyana is not once again violated.

We urge that more stations should be considered by the Madame Chair and, in any circumstances, there should be no less than ten (10).

It cannot be consistent with good administration and the rule of law for more inordinate delay to continue to frustrate the desire of the Guyanese people for an early end to the elections process which started on March 2 and, for all intents and purposes, would have ended on March 4, had the fraudulent activity not taken place on March 4. The results are now six weeks overdue and our partners in the international community, including the Commonwealth and the OAS have noted the delay and urged a speedy resolution.

Having regard to the constitutional deadline, we urge GECOM and the Madame Chair to fix a deadline by which the recount should be completed so as to assure the nation that Guyana will not once again drift into unconstitutionality.

The public will recall that the Court ruled that the first unlawful declaration of the Returning Officer of Region 4 was made with the involvement of several members of the GECOM Secretariat and the second declaration is under challenge by an action for contempt of court which is pending. Having regard to the widely-publicized events surrounding these declarations, it is incumbent on GECOM to exclude the RO for Region 4 and the staffers of the secretariat involved in these declarations to be excluded from involvement in the recount.

Issued by:

A New and United Guyana (ANUG)

Change Guyana (CG)

Liberty and Justice Party (LJP)

The New Movement (TNM)

United Republican Party (URP).

April 17, 2020.