Political parties must adhere to code of conduct signed – Carter Center

…urges leaders not to declare results ahead of GECOM’s declarations

While declaring that it observed a smooth process on Election Day, the Carter Carter is urging political parties to be responsible and adhere to the code of conduct they signed by not declaring results ahead of the Guyana Election Commission’s official declaration.

This was emphasised during a press conference called by the Center at Pegasus hotel on Wednesday. Co-leader of the Carter Carter Observation Mission, Aminata Toure, reminded that it is GECOM and not the parties who have to declare results.
“I do believe that everyone should refrain from declaring results. There is a constitutional body there for that, it is called the Guyana Election Commission. By law, that’s the only body that should be declaring results.”
“So, we appeal to political parties to refrain from declaring any results and support democracy in Guyana. I come from Senegal… so I do believe that it’s about exercising responsibilities as leaders and go by what the law says. The law says clearly that only GECOM can declare results.”
Her fellow co-leader, Jason Carter, also reminded that GECOM has a statutory process designed to verify results. He noted that while parties have been granted access to results in the form of Statement of Polls, GECOM must be allowed to do its work.
“There’s a procedure for any sort of dispute that may arise in respect to the results. The parties have had an enormous amount of exposure to the results and that’s excellent. Through the statement of polls, there has been transparency in the accounting and tabulation.”
“So, if there is a dispute, there is a legal process provided for by law. So that’s the way that we anticipate it going in… we’ve seen a number of court cases and people have responded on all sides to support the rule of law and that is what we would expect.”
This comes even as reports have arrived of victory celebrations in various locations in Guyana. As recent as earlier on Wednesday, supporters of certain political parties began to celebrate in Georgetown, even though results have not yet been declared by GECOM.
While GECOM was verifying its Region Four results, a vocal crowd of APNU/AFC supporters gathered on the road outside the Region Four Returning Officer’s office. This led the Police to bring a truckload of barricades and set up a perimeter around the office.
In other areas in Georgetown, crowds of APNU/AFC supporters also gathered in celebration. This same occurred in other parts of the country. It was only afterwards that President David Granger, in an address to supporters, appealed for calm and for them to wait for GECOM’s official declarations.
Nine of the 11 political parties who contested the General and Regional Elections signed on to GECOM’s code of conduct, with the majority expressing confidence that the agreement among parties would foment a more amicable environment before, during, and after the polls.
GECOM Chair Retired Justice Claudette Singh, in introducing the documents for the party representatives, reminded that the exercise was meant to develop the ethical principles that would guide the political leaders and their supporters during the elections’ season.
She did use the occasion to point out that while some of the political parties were absent from the event, this was not their fault since the Commission had been late in sending out the invitations for the activity.
“I would urge all parties to adopt a responsible approach” and to refrain from hate speeches, incitement and provocation, the GECOM Chair had clearly urged.
People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali, in brief remarks to the gathering following the signing of the agreement, had expressed confidence that the code of conduct facilitated by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) would not only help to secure “free and fair elections” but an “elections that is free from fear”.
President Granger, who leads the list on behalf of coalition A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC), had committed to abiding by its provisions.