‘Dissatisfied’ APNU+AFC will not sign certification documents for results – Norton

Already registering its dissatisfaction that the recount done for District #1 is not credible, the APNU+AFC coalition has noted its intention to withhold its support for any certification process unless it becomes satisfied of the credibility of ballots cast on March 02, 2020.

APNU+AFC member Aubrey Norton told the media on Sunday that the coalition was not satisfied that the elections were credibly conducted in District #1 based on revelations from the ongoing recount process and as a consequence, it will not sign the certification document for that region.

“I don’t know that there can be certification of any results at this stage. We have a number of questions that were raised and we believe that they have to be revisited before you can talk about anything like a certification,” Norton said.

“I don’t think that we can certify any document,” he added.

But even as Norton proffered this stance on behalf on the party, documents have been released which shows the party agent for the coalition, Daniel Seeram affixed his signature to the certification document for District #1.

All 99 boxes for that district have already been counted but according to Norton, based on the coalition’s assessment, the results are not credible.

Norton said from the recount of District #1, the APNU+AFC unearthed what he said was a trend of irregularity. He told reporters that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECPOM) must address these irregularities and satisfy the coalition of the credibility of the elections before it can offer its support to moving the process forward.

He believes the instances of irregularities can have a major impact on the process, in both a quantitative and qualitative manner.

To make his point, the party agent said 45 of the 99 ballot boxes for District #1 were found to have irregularities.

He said of those 45 boxes, it puts a total of 4,673 votes or 39 per-cent of the ballots cast in jeopardy.

Norton further stated that 26 polling books could not be found which prevented, in large measure, an understanding of what happened on E-Day.

In addition, he said there were missing documents to reconcile voters who used certificates of employment and those without ID cards.

Norton said there are countless instances in District #1 and other districts currently being recounted where persons who died or were out of the jurisdiction who voted.

He said over 100 persons in District #1 who voted were not in the jurisdiction at the time.

But the coalition has not provided any evidence to support these claims of irregularities.

“We continue to see a trend where there seems to be calculated attempt not to put the six-digit stamp on votes perceived to be in APNU+AFC strongholds,” he noted.

Meanwhile, in response to Norton’s claims of irregularities in District #1, PPP’s Anil Nandlall said the opposition party has found no irregularities of a substantial nature.

“Every election once subjected to a recount will produce margins of error that is an acceptable state of affairs across the electoral globe,” Nandlall added.

He said there are minimal differences in District #1 which are likely to recur in other regions but not to the magnitude to alter the outcome of the elections.

“I don’t know what Norton is talking about and the fact that his party representative signed on that certification I believe would put those allegations to rest,” Nandlall said.