Dear Editor,
Can the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) make all the smart and necessary logistical decisions to ensure that the National Recount exercise, currently ongoing at a snail’s pace, does not exceed the 25 days allotted by a ludicrous number of days?
We voted on March 2nd, 2020 and, to date, a Government elected by the people is yet to be installed.
Members of the CARICOM Observation Team have not confirmed whether they would extend their stay. What happens if they leave? Does it mean that the process would be without the scrutiny of international observers, to help ensure our ‘free and fair election day’ was not in vain.
The smart thing to do right now is for GECOM to focus attention on ensuring all the ballots in Electoral District Number Four (4), which had not one, but two fraudulent declarations — which are currently being revealed by the 3 counting stations as they make their way through the ballots – are counted. If you are still not convinced about this, and if you cannot see what is wrong with Mingo’s numbers, then you are a phoney champion of democracy.
However, Electoral District Number Four (4), the most populous voting district, will ultimately determine the winner of the March 2 National and Regional Elections. Therefore, it is imperative to ensure Electoral District Number Four (4) is completed soonest, and then focus on the less populated regions.
The two additional stations should be used to speed up the counting of Electoral District Number Four (4), especially since we are not sure if the Caricom Team will be here beyond the 25 days.
GECOM is again trying to seek permission from the COVID-19 Task Force to now increase from 12 to 14 work stations. Great move, more stations, but the only way to truly be productive and smart is to have all new stations focus on Electoral District Number Four (4), and not what stations 11 and 12 were assigned to count.
Hopefully, these new stations will be allocated to complete the district with the most discrepancies.
It seems as though all the other Electoral Districts will be done before Electoral District Number Four (4) is concluded. However, if CARICOM leaves, what guarantees are there that the level of transparency we have now will continue?
It should be noted that tainted persons from the original tabulation process of Electoral District Number Four (4) at Ashmin’s Building are still a part of this recount process, and the media are already beyond the fence of the Arthur Chung Convention Centre. Will there be yet another attempt to alter the results of Electoral District Number Four (4)? Or is that why there are slow teams and numerous objections without evidence?
It is crucial for our democracy that Electoral District Number Four (4) be completed within the 25 days’ period. As it is, our democracy is hanging by a thread, and needs this to be done; the future of Guyana depends on this. How long will this go on for? How long will we be in this limbo?
Respectfully,
Nutana Singh
