GECOM must issue declaration on credible recount results – EU

…as directed by Caribbean Court of Justice

The European Union (EU) has reiterated calls for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to issue a declaration of the March 2 General and Regional elections based on the credible results emanating from the National Recount process.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Nabila Massrali, pointed out that July 8 ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – Guyana’s apex court – had paved the way for the declaration to be done.
“…The clear ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice now provides a solid foundation for a peaceful and democratic solution to Guyana’s post-electoral crisis,” he stated.
According to Massrali, it is now up to the Elections Commission to rapidly issue a declaration based on the credible results of the Recount, certified by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), ensuring respect for the will of the people of Guyana in line with the ruling by the CCJ.
“We expect all Guyanese leaders and stakeholders to support such a declaration to conclude this long overdue democratic process. Only then can a legitimate Government be sworn in, which is urgent and essential for the country,” the EU Spokesperson asserted in Wednesday’s missive.
Earlier this month, the CCJ had ruled that Guyana’s Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction to hear the matter filed by another APNU/AFC supporter, Eslyn David. As such, the regional court invalidated the Appeal Court’s decision that “more votes cast” in the Recount Order means “more validate votes cast”, as well as the fraudulent report submitted by Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, who had dumped over 115,000 voters.
The Trinidad-based regional Court also ruled that Lowenfield should now follow the directive from GECOM’s Chair, Justice Claudette Singh; that is, for him to compile a final elections report based on the Recount results.
CCJ President, Justice Adrian Saunders, in delivering the ruling, had said, “It is for GECOM to ensure that the election results are swiftly declared in accordance with the Laws of Guyana.”
However, despite being directed to use the recount results, the CEO again failed to comply, and instead submitted a report using the fraudulent figures from the declaration of embattled Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo, who was found to have heavily inflated the votes in favour of the APNU/AFC Coalition.
In fact, the EU Election Observation Mission (EOM), in its final report that was submitted to GECOM, said the integrity of the entire electoral process was “seriously compromised” by the non-transparent tabulation of results in Region Four, for which it blamed senior GECOM officials.
“Voting, counting and the tabulation of results in nine of Guyana’s ten regions were generally well managed… However, the integrity of the entire electoral process was seriously compromised by the non-transparent and non-credible tabulation of results in the largest and decisive Region 4 by senior Guyana Elections Commission officials, acting in blatant violation of the law and High Court orders issued in this regard,” the EU EOM report detailed.
The European Union had fielded 14 long-term and 20 short-term observers to monitor Guyana’s March 2 elections. The 14 long-term observers had been in Guyana since February, observing electoral preparations and the campaign across Guyana’s 10 regions. (G8)