ICD calls for GECOM to resume verification process

The International Center for Democracy (ICD) is now the latest entity to join a long list that has publicly condemned and criticised the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for its handling of the tabulation and declaration of results of the March 2 Regional And National Elections.
According to the ICD, it is in full support of the Carter Center, European Union, Organisation of American States, Caribbean Community (Caricom), other international and local observers as well as the United States of America, British, Canadian, European nations and a multitude of other countries condemning the actions of the GECOM.
In a press statement issued by ICD on Monday, the entity related that it supports free and fair elections and therefore is calling upon the Elections Commission to immediately resume the tabulation and verification process for Region Four’s (Demerara-Mahaica) Statements of Poll (SOPs).
“The blatant disregard by GECOM to follow the established guidelines and protocols in verifying the Statement of Polls (SOPs) for Region Four (4) was witnessed and condemned by the multitude of Observers and Ambassadors from the American, British, Canadian and European (ABCE) countries…”
The ICD opined that the current SOPs which GECOM currently has in its possession for Region Four may have been tampered with and/or compromised.
As such, the organisation is demanding that all of the ballots for the region in question be recounted in the presence of the international and local observers, ABCE representatives, and persons representing the competing parties for the General and Regional Elections.
“The ICD demands that the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) just like all other parties allow GECOM to do what they were mandated to do without any interference. The ICD demands that the Commissioner, Chief Elections Officer (CEO) and all GECOM staff perform their duties without any political bias and interference. The ICD along with all other local and international observers, ABCE countries and Caricom will continue to monitor this situation and expect to have an expeditious resolution that is transparent, free, and fair.”
Just recently, the Chairperson of GECOM, retired Justice Claudette Singh wrote to the Leader of the political Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, to inform him that the electoral body will not be taking any further steps with regards to the announcement of the 2020 General and Regional Elections, until the determination of the ongoing court hearing.
The position was communicated by way of a letter to the Opposition Leader, following a correspondence by Jagdeo, outlining formally, concerns over the declarations of the Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) electoral results.
Formally lodging his complaint with the election’s authority, the PPP’s General Secretary and Opposition Leader noted that at the time of the declaration, only 421 of the 879 ballot boxes had been verified using the stipulated process provided for in the Representation of the People Act.
According to Jagdeo, the RO—Mingo—subsequently announced that he had a declaration despite the fact that the verification process in accordance with the laws had not been resumed and this led to an uproar at the RO’s Office at the Ashmins building.
Jagdeo in his missive called on the Chairperson to resume the verification process in accordance with the provisions of the law, voluntarily and without prejudice to the pending proceedings.
Justice (retd) Singh responded by saying, however, that the matter in light of the court proceedings is ‘sub judice’ and that the Commission will have to await the outcome of the litigation before taking its next step.
Prior to this, the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) strongly condemned the actions of GECOM to corrode the integrity of the electoral process by circumventing established procedures prescribed in the laws of Guyana during the tabulation process for Region Four.
In a release issued by the GCCI, it was present at the office of the Returning Officer (RO) for Region Four when the tabulation process was halted without sound justification in several instances.
“The GCCI was also present during the attempted declaration and publication of results for Region 4 which was made by the RO despite an incomplete tabulation process. The GCCI views the actions of GECOM as a direct assault to the democratic processes of this country as the refusal to conduct the tabulation process in accordance with the law has disenfranchised all Guyanese who would have casted their votes in Region 4.”