CARICOM submits recount report

The high-level three-member CARICOM team which has been in Guyana since May 1 submitted its report on the national recount of ballots cast on March 2, 2020, to Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Justice Retired Claudette Singh Monday morning.

Public Relations Officer Yolanda Ward informed the media, “It was sent to the Office of the Chair this morning. No formal handing over.”

The CARICOM report was submitted a day after Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield submitted his and underscored that he is unable to determine whether the elections were fair and credible.

The incumbent President David Granger has continuously referred to the CARICOM scrutineers as the most credible “interlocutors” in the recount process.

The report has not been released to the media at this time and is expected to be discussed at a Commission meeting set for 13:00h Monday.

The recount process concluded on June 9 with the certification of District Four results; the last ballot box was counted on June 7 after which the CEO had to prepare his report on or before June 13.

The recount figures showed that the PPP secured a total of 233, 336 votes; APNU+AFC secured 217, 920 votes. Together, ANUG, LJP and TNM secured 5, 214 votes.

The three-member CARICOM team is Ms Cynthia Barrow-Giles, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government at the University of the West Indies (UWI), and includes Mr John Jarvis, Commissioner of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission and Mr Sylvester King, Deputy Supervisor of Elections of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.