… says Govt considering inviting int’l community to observe case
PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo
General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has highlighted that given the direction that the elections fraud case in the 2020 general elections is heading, he has no doubts that this high-profile case may end up in the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
The elections fraud trials commenced on July 29 for several individuals facing charges of alleged irregularities during the general elections in 2020.
The trial is expected to run from July 29 to September 13 but was adjourned until Monday, August 5, 2024.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Dr. Jagdeo said, “Given what has happened in Venezuela and the close parallel to what we see here in Georgetown, it would be crucial to reflect on democracy especially now that the trials have started for those who the Commission of Inquiry found culpable of trying to steal the elections in favour of the APNU/AFC. We have waited for a long time to get to this stage.”
Dr. Jagdeo expressed grave dissatisfaction with the defense lawyers, for the people charged have tried all forms of delaying tactics and have succeeded so far in having the matter not heard.
The general secretary further expounded, “The last attempt was dismissed by the Chief Justice and the trial has started. And, you will see a similar pattern now and the frustration expressed by the prosecution that on numerous occasions uncalled for that the defense lawyers are again trying to stall the trials by making frivolous objections. And often, these objections are entertained.”
The general secretary then pointed out, “And so, I have no doubt that the way this is going this matter will end up at the CCJ [Caribbean Court of Justice] ultimately. Therefore, it is crucial that the records be in the public domain if they are not going to be kept in the Court, so that what is presented and the testimonies of the witnesses will be available in the media and elsewhere.
So, ultimately, when the case gets to the CCJ, he noted that the full picture of the testimonies discounting all of the objections and the suppression of the evidence would be available to the judges and that there would be no doubts about what was presented during the case.
Dr. Jagdeo stressed that it is incumbent on the media to report almost precisely what is occurring in the courtroom relating to this high-profile case alleviating any doubts in the future what was testified to.
He said that the government fully intends to invite the international community to observe this case, given their high interest in this matter in 2020 and subsequently.
“It is crucial that we have the international community looking at it. They are urging that people who try to undermine public officials’ democracy and the will of the people must face prosecution. Now, we are at a stage where we would invite them to observe the court drama that is taking place,” he added.
Meanwhile, when the trial continued on Wednesday, instead of witnesses being called to testify, matters of concern were discussed between the prosecution, defense, and the court.
For some time the prosecution, led by Special Prosecutor and King’s Counsel Darshan Ramdhani has been complaining that witnesses are not being allowed to freely testify as they should. While Ramdhani has contended that witnesses should be allowed to expand on their previous statements, the defense has countered that information not previously disclosed to them should not be admitted on record.
Magistrate Daly acknowledged on Wednesday that not allowing certain testimony that concerned one of the defendants, former Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) staff Michelle Miller, was indeed an error. As such, the Magistrate permitted the reopening of the examination of the witness, in this case, Local Government Minister Sonia Parag.
Parag testified from Monday to Tuesday on the misconduct she witnessed from GECOM staff during the 2020 General and Regional elections. Her testimony had included witnessing efforts by GECOM staff, to alter the results by deducting People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) votes and adding votes to the then-ruling A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC).
She had also testified that despite a Court Order from acting Chief Justice Roxanne George, which compelled GECOM to use only the Statements of Poll (SOPs) to tabulate the numbers for the Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) votes, Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, one of those now on trial, continued to conduct the tabulation using a projector and bedsheet.
In addition to Mingo and Miller, former Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, his former Deputy Roxanne Myers, former People’s National Congress/Reform (PNCR) Chairperson Volda Lawrence, PNCR activist Carol Smith-Joseph, and GECOM employees Sheffern February, Enrique Livan and Denise Babb-Cummings, are facing twenty-eight charges relating to electoral fraud.
