Foreign powers urge GECOM to declare results based on recount

The British High Commissioner, the Canadian High Commissioner and the Ambassadors of the European Union and the United States have called on the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to issue a declaration of the elections based on the results of the Recount as confirmed by CARICOM, to ensure the democratic choice of the people is fulfilled.

The recount results showed the Opposition People’s Progressive Party winning the elections by 15,416 votes.

See full statement below:

The Ambassador of the United States of America, H.E. Sarah-Ann Lynch, the British High Commissioner, H.E. Greg Quinn, the Canadian High Commissioner, H.E. Lilian Chatterjee, and the Ambassador of the European Union, H.E. Fernando Ponz-Canto are concerned that 114 days after the 2 March elections the people of Guyana continue to await the declaration of an election result.

It is important in our view that every vote, cast by every voter, be reflected in that declaration, in order to ensure that the will of the people of Guyana is respected.  That respect includes an election declaration of results that mirrors the order and integrity displayed by the people of Guyana, GECOM and party officials, as witnessed by domestic and international observers during the 2 March general and regional elections.

We also note that the CARICOM observer mission, referred to as “the most legitimate interlocutor” by President Granger, concluded on 15 June that “nothing we witnessed, warrants a challenge to the inescapable conclusion that the recount results are acceptable and should constitute the basis of the declaration of results of the March 2, 2020 elections.”

We believe election results are long overdue and, in that regard, we applaud the patience and peacefulness displayed by the people of Guyana.  Pending the outcome of the appeal to the CCJ, we trust GECOM to meet its constitutional duty to issue a Declaration on the basis of the results of the Recount as confirmed by CARICOM, to ensure the democratic choice of the people is fulfilled.

24 June 2020