GECOM in charge of countrywide recount – Granger tells Caricom team

Presidential Candidate for the coalition A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC), Head of State and President, David Granger says the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) must be in charge of the “total recount” of votes cast in the March 2, General and Regional Elections.

The President, in an address to the nation on Saturday, disclosed that he has been in contact with Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley, and “proposed that the Caricom initiative should operate within the legal framework of the Constitution of Guyana and respect the role of the Elections Commission and the rulings of the Supreme Court; It will not act independently.”
The Caribbean Community initiative came to be “as result of the delays and statements by the observer missions,” according to Granger, who recounted that Caricom sent a five-member delegation of Prime Ministers to Guyana on a two-day mission last week, “to work with stakeholders to craft a path forward out of the present political situation.”

Prime Minister Mottley – who is also Chairperson of Caricom – was accompanied by Prime Ministers Dr Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, Dr Keith Mitchell of Grenada and Dr Ralph Gonsalves of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
In response to the Caricom initiative by the five Prime Ministers, Granger told the nation: “I agreed that a total national recount could be done to satisfy the questions raised by the observers and the citizenry”.
He was adamant, however, that the Elections Commission was the sole authority for making a declaration of the results of the General and Regional Elections and that GECOM be allowed to craft the Terms of Reference (ToRs) governing the relationship between the Caricom initiative and the Elections Commission.
The President said too that the “organisational structure – which should embody supervisory and technical elements – should be determined by the Elections Commission”.
Government, he said, looks forward to a total national recount being completed as soon as possible, “under the auspices of the Elections Commission”.
The specialist team arrived at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) onboard a military airplane Saturday evening, ahead of the recount and is chaired by Francine Baron, former Attorney General and Foreign Minister.
Other members of the team include Anthony Boatswain, former Minister of Finance of Grenada, and Cynthia Barrow-Giles, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Government of UWI.
They were joined by Trinidad and Tobago Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Fern Narcis-Scope and Barbados’ Chief Electoral Officer, Angela Taylor.
The international community, including observers and the United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union had described the tabulation process for Region Four as one that lacked credibility and transparency.
Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque, in a subsequent statement, said for the avoidance of doubt, Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo had agreed to a recount of all regions and not just Region Four.
Jagdeo, who is also General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), explained that he has no objections to a national recount.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, Prime Ministerial Candidate of the People’s Progressive Party, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips said that the recount would ensure that the will of Guyanese was respected.
“Finally, we have an opportunity once again to ensure the will of the people is respected in this democratic process… we’re looking forward for the completion of this activity…,” Phillips said.