Political, COVID-19 crises must pave way for new social contract – UN Resident Rep

As Guyana’s protracted electoral process continues while the country is grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, these crises must create the pathway for a new social contract on inclusion and cooperation.

This is according to United Nations Resident Coordinator in Guyana, Mikiko Tanaka.
In a tweet on Sunday morning, Tanaka said: “Here in Guyana, the dual C-19 and political crises must open way for a new social contract based on inclusion and cooperation”.
She was at the time retweeting a statement made by UN Secretary General, António Guterres, who called for a “New Social Contract & New Global Deal” based on equality and sustainability in response to the COVID-19 crisis globally.
Only last Sunday, Tanaka had expressed concerns over the fact that Guyana is yet to figure out an end to its elections more than four months after it was held at a time when the region is facing its worst recession in the last 10 years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
She had tweeted “As Latin American and the Caribbean face the worst recession in a century, #Guyana is still figuring out how to conclude the 2 March elections”.
The UN has said the coronavirus pandemic will trigger the worst recession in the century in Latin America and the Caribbean, and push the number of people living in poverty up by 45 million.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Situation Report, the region of the Americas has millions of coronavirus cases with more than 302,000 deaths.
Currently, Guyana has just over 320 confirmed COVID-19 cases with its death toll now at 19.
Only last month, the UN Resident Coordinator bemoaned the fact that essential service providers are under more pressure as COVID-19 cases in the country continue to surge.
She tweeted on June 23, “A credible end to the elections is urgent for the elected government and parliament to fully attend to their wellbeing and resource needs to serve the people.”
Meanwhile, two weeks ago, the UN had joined calls for the final declaration of Guyana’s elections results to bring an end to the current political impasse.
That statement was made by Stéphane Dujarric, who serves as the Spokesman for the UN Secretary General.
According to Dujarric, Secretary General Guterres took note of the recent ruling of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as the final instance.
“He stresses the importance of announcing final official results of the 2 March general and regional elections to the Guyanese people as soon as possible to end an impasse that has lasted more than four months,” the SG Spokesman stated.
Dujarric went on to say that the Secretary General also calls on all political leaders and their supporters to recognise and accept the final official results and refrain from any act or statement that may fuel tensions or incite violence in Guyana.
On July 8, the CCJ ruled that Guyana’s Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction to hear the matter filed by APNU/AFC supporter, Eslyn David.
As such, the CCJ invalidated the Appeal Court’s decision that “more votes cast” in the Recount Order means “more valid votes cast” as well as the fraudulent report submitted by embattled Chief Elections Officer (CEO), Keith Lowenfield, who had disenfranchised over 115,000 voters.
The Trinidad-based regional court in its ruling, which was delivered by President Justice Adrian Saunders, further stated: “It is for GECOM to ensure that the CEO submits a report in accordance with his directives of 16th of June in order to proceed along the path directed by the laws of Guyana.”
This refers to the instructions by Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission, Retired Justice Claudette Singh, who had directed Lowenfield in a letter dated June 16 last month to submit his final elections report using the figures from the National Recount.
The 33-day exercise confirmed that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) won the March 2 elections with 233,336 votes while the caretaker APNU/AFC coalition obtained 217,920 votes – a difference of 15,416 votes.
Despite the GECOM Chair, (ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh, directing the CEO on several occasions to submit his report based on the recount figures, he has continuously failed to do so and in his last report, presented fraudulent figures that give the caretaker coalition a win.
Lowenfield was subsequently given a final chance to submit his report using the certified results from the National Recount but before he could have done so, another APNU/AFC supporter filed legal proceedings.
The applicant, Misegna Jones, is seeking to block to the Elections Commission from using the recount figures to make a declaration of the March 2 elections results.
After hearing arguments from the various parties in the matter on Friday, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, is expected to deliver her ruling in the matter at 16:00h today.