…says “no losers” as GECOM’s formal declaration awaited
With the counting and tabulation of the ballots cast at the March 2 elections completed now, Presidential Candidate of People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), Dr Irfaan Ali is calling on Guyanese to act responsibly as the country awaits a formal declaration by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) of the official results.
Counting agents for both PPP/C and APNU/AFC share a photo moment when the last ballot box was taken from the storage container to be counted on Sunday
After 33 days, the recounting of a total of 2339 ballot boxes concluded on Sunday and the figures reconfirmed that the Opposition – PPP/C – has won the elections with in excess of 15,500 votes over its main rival A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC).
The Chief Elections Officer is now expected to compile his report and present it to the seven-member Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). The Commission will then deliberate and make an official declaration.
The conclusion of the recount comes three months after the General and Regional Elections which were held on March 2.
Speaking with reporters outside the Arthur Chung Conference Centre at Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, where the exercise is being conducted, Dr Ali called for responsible behaviour to be displayed during this period.
“As we move towards the next stage of having the report submitted and a declaration, we must act in a responsible manner. We must act in a manner that our country men and women expect us to act in as leader. We have to be gracious to each other and we have to move forward in building this country and taking this country forward,” he posited shortly after the last ballot box was counted.
According to the PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Guyana has been in a difficult period since the December 2018 No-Confidence Motion (NCM), which was successfully passed against the David Granger-led Administration. Instead of calling elections within three months as prescribed in the Constitution, this was followed by a series of litigation, and even after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – Guyana’s highest court – upheld the passage of the NCM and ordered that the Constitution be adhered, elections were not held until nine months later.
“Life was never the same, business was never the same [after that]. It is time Guyana gets that space to breathe and to move forward. Our country deserves this and the citizens of our country deserves this… That is what is Important now, taking this country forward and allowing space to blossom… We have a pandemic and we have a lot of work to do,” the PPP/C Presidential Candidate contended.
To this end, Ali pointed out that as an incoming Government, his party cares about all of Guyana. He noted that the only way to grow its supporters is to govern in a way that draws more people to him and his party, its policies and programmes.
“There are no losers in this process. At the end of the process, there was a democratic will… We need to take our country to a position where the policies, programmes, development agenda, and the arms of Government is wide enough to bring in and to embrace all of Guyana; and to ensure everyone feel comfortable to be a part of the future,” he stated.
The PPP/C Presidential Candidate also commended and expressed appreciation to all stakeholders who played a role in ensuring that the recount is completed, including the other new political parties.
PPP/C’s confidence
Meanwhile, Ali’s running mate, Prime Ministerial Candidate, Brigadier (ret’d), Mark Phillips reiterated the PPP/C’s confidence in GECOM as they await the official declaration. He reminded that notwithstanding the many issues emanating from the National Recount, his party has always been committed to the process.
