After many hurdles and great sacrifice by persons and groups, both from within and outside Guyana, the first and main component of the national recount, which started on May 6, was completed on Sunday, with the final set of tabulations showing the number of votes each political party received at the March 2 polls.
Every stakeholder except the incumbent APNU/AFC coalition has accepted the final figures of the recount and is supporting the process through to its finality, considering the fact that the nation has waited way after three months for a credible winner to be declared.
After the last ballot box was completed on Sunday evening, coalition officials took to the airwaves again to send confusing and dangerous signals about not accepting the results of the recount on the basis of what they claim was “massive electoral fraud”.
When the clumsy efforts by Region Four Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo collapsed in front of their eyes, the coalition was forced to find other avenues to delay the inevitable. As expected, no one bought their story that dead and migrated persons ‘voted’.
From day one when the claims were made, they were shut down and the relevant evidence was provided showing otherwise. Today, they continue to peddle this falsehood of voter fraud in spite of the fact that all of the allegations were proven to be false by the persons concerned themselves.
Everyone knows that the real intention was to push to have the elections nullified after it was clear that the coalition had lost. However, legal experts within the coalition must be aware that GECOM does not have the power to annul an election. This power can only be exercised by the High Court via an elections petition.
It is quite unfortunate that coalition leaders continue to mislead and confuse their supporters telling them one time that they have won the elections and another time that there was “massive fraud” on E-Day. This is a dangerous game they are playing and no one will benefit. It is their supporters who would feel betrayed when reality begins to sink in.
On his part, caretaker President David Granger has not helped in any way to provide leadership and guidance or the necessary moral support to his followers. He is siding with some of the hardcore elements within the coalition to endorse the false narrative being pushed that there were widespread voter irregularities when every other stakeholder thinks otherwise.
Now that the physical recount has been completed, there are two main statutory steps left to be followed before a new president is sworn in; these include, the Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield presenting his report for the Commission’s deliberation and the Commission then making a declaration based on the recount figures provided by the CEO. The CEO can only present what is before him in terms of the figures of the recount; and it is on this basis that a winner must be declared. There is no provision in law for him to inject his personal opinion in the report.
We expect that the Chair of the Commission, Justice Claudette Singh, will act with haste once she is in possession of the CEO’s report in declaring the winner so that Guyana can return to a democratic path as soon as possible.
The Chairperson has been commended for “leading from the front” in ensuring that the actual recount was completed in a credible and transparent manner. Justice Singh must now continue to take charge of the process and ensure that the other two steps are followed to the letter and spirit of the Recount Order, the Representation of the People’s Act and the Constitution, without any delays.
Nothing less is expected from the Chair. Guyanese and the wider world will remember her for the kind of action she takes in these elections, whether she will allow herself to be bullied by rogue elements who are bent on derailing the will of the people or whether she will stand on the side of what is legally and morally right for our country. We will hold her to a previous statement she made when she declared: “I only know one way, and that is the right way”.
The next few days will be crucial as all eyes are on Guyana. The future of Guyana is in the hands of the Chair of GECOM. We have full confidence that she will choose to stand on the right side of history.
