The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (GHDS) has called for democracy and accountability to be respected by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in the declaration of the March 2 elections results, which it said must reflect all the votes cast and the will of the Guyanese people.
Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (GHDS) President, Dr Vindhya Persaud
In a statement on Friday evening, the religious organisation lamented the fact that there is yet to be an official declaration of the elections results almost four months after Guyanese voted.
“The Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha commends our Guyanese brothers and sisters for their patience throughout this period… We must continue to insist on respect for democracy and accountability from GECOM in the declaration of the elections results reflecting all the votes and the will of the Guyanese people,” the missive detailed.
The GHDS further expressed concerns over the developments surrounding Guyana’s protracted elections process.
A Caribbean Community (Caricom)-supervised National Recount shows a victory for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). But despite being instructed to conduct his final elections report based on the recount figures, Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield went ahead and invalidated more than 115,000 voters in his recent report.
To this end, the GHDS reminded that the lengthy recount exercise was observed by all parties and the results were described by the special Caricom observer team as being acceptable and constituting the basis for the declaration of credible results of the March 2, 2020 elections.
In fact, it was noted that even the international community has also joined calls for a declaration of the results on the basis of the recount, with Caricom Chair and Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados being one of those prominent voices.
On this note, the local religious organisation called the attacks on PM Mottley reprehensible.
The GHDS contended that as a Head of State, the current Caricom Chair and an outstanding Caribbean woman, Prime Minister Mottley has the inalienable right to express her views on the current untenable post-election state-of-affairs in Guyana. It further noted that the report, prepared by the high-level Caricom team that observed the recount process at the behest and approval of President David Granger, has provided the basis for PM Mottley, as the sitting Chair of Caricom, to give a statement on Guyana’s unresolved elections.
“To spew vitriol and offensive remarks on this distinguished leader for speaking in her characteristic forthright manner about the “bizarre” nature of the post-elections period, as well as the attempt by CEO of GECOM to manipulate the elections results by disenfranchising thousands (115,000) of voters is offensive and disrespectful,” the organisation asserted in its statement.
According to the GHDS, PM Mottley’s comments mirror the sentiments of many Guyanese, global leaders, international organisations and the diplomatic community.
“In the zeal to disagree politically, people must not degenerate into indecency and flagrant disrespect. Leaders must be responsible and set a good example for their supporters. Everyone is entitled to express their views and differ but spewing hate is not going to change the fact that Guyana still remains in limbo four months after elections with a stagnant economy, concerns related to COVID-19 and many challenges facing our nation and its people as a result of this impasse,” the local religious body posited.
Against this backdrop, the GHDS urged persons to let their words and conduct be free from hatred, resentment and ill-will, as it reminded of the utmost importance that all Guyanese stand together as Guyana prepares to present its case on the border controversy with Venezuela before the International Court of Justice on June 30.
