Jagdeo rejects Granger’s excuse for barring Carter Center

…reaches out to Caricom’s SG to extend observers’ stay

One day after the caretaker Government’s announcement of permitting over 100 Guyanese stranded overseas to return home, People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo has rejected caretaker President David Granger’s decision to exclude The Carter Center from returning to Guyana. He has since called on Granger to reconsider his stance against The Carter Center’s return.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo made this statement during a virtual press conference on Tuesday.
While he expressed happiness that Guyanese are being allowed to return, he questioned the motives behind refusing The Carter Center’s entry.
According to Jagdeo, it is now difficult for the Government to defend denying The Carter Center observers entry, particularly since they are willing to take the necessary COVID-19 precautions.

The General Secretary posited that the most logical conclusion to draw was that the Government’s motive to keep The Carter Center out is a political one.
“He [Granger] said he has nothing against The Carter Center. So now that his Government has approved, just yesterday, over 100 persons, mainly Guyanese… they agreed to them coming in. He would have a very difficult time now justifying why they can’t allow four international observers.”

“[They] are prepared to take the test and follow the same protocol like the Caricom team did and the same protocol that many of those who are coming home will follow,” Jagdeo also said.
Another point made by Jagdeo was the fact that the Government rejected the requests of several United States (US) Senators for The Carter Center to return.
He pointed out that one of those legislators, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, has since been made Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, one of the most important roles in Washington.

“He [Granger] has owned the issue. It was at his insistence that the letter was written rejecting them. Now clearly, the duplicity of the Government’s position on this matter will wind it’s way up to Washington.”
“And in fact, we will point this out to the international community. That on one hand [the Government] is saying they’re concerned about the safety of Guyana and cannot allow four persons in. And on the other hand, they’re allowing hundreds to come into the country.”

Approvals
It was announced on Monday that the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCTF) met and granted approval for a number of things, including the repatriation of Guyanese students stranded overseas and the return of the body of late union leader Komal Chand.
The Guyanese who will be allowed to return home include 19 Guyanese students from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and 70 Guyanese cruise ship workers attached to Royal Caribbean.
In addition, the Task Force approved applications from four Guyanese in St Vincent to return home via SVG Air. Applications from 10 Guyanese in St Maarten to return were also approved.
These approvals came just a day after the caretaker APNU/AFC coalition Government
denied a request by the United States Embassy in Georgetown to repatriate its citizens stranded here amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Carter Center and the International Republican Institute (IRI), meanwhile, also remain barred from entering Guyana to continue their observation of the National Recount being conducted by the Guyana Elections Commission.
Last week, it was revealed by US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, that her office, as well as The Carter Center from the US, had made a second but unsuccessful request to the Guyana Government for the organisation’s Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) as well as IRI advisors to return to Georgetown.

Caricom
When it comes to the Caribbean Community (Caricom) team currently in Guyana, Jagdeo said he is in support of the team staying on for the duration of the recount. In fact, he noted that he has requested this from Caricom Secretary General Irwin LaRocque.
“I was told Mr Granger expressed a desire to have them remain in the country throughout. I have no doubts that there are elements within APNU who would like the team to disappear. Because the Caricom team here is a major safeguard.”
“So I’m happy Granger said he wants the team to remain. This morning I called the Secretary General of Caricom and I thanked him for the patience they have expressed and the work of the team thus far. I also shared with him our desire to have the Caricom team remain for the duration of the exercise.”
Jagdeo noted that if one is to take the President’s word at face value, then he would be happy to write a joint letter with Granger to the Caricom Secretary General, formally requesting the team to extend their stay.