PPP/C blocked by Police from serving recount notice on RO

…other parties suffered same fate

Attempts by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) late Friday night to serve Returning Officer (RO), Clairmont Mingo, with a notice for a recount of the results for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) were blocked by Police officers.

In what has been described as an illegal act, Mingo went ahead at about 23:00h and declared the discredited results for District Four despite repeated objections from various party representatives as well as other stakeholders as to the method used to ascertain the Statements of Poll.
Immediately after he was done making the discredited declarations, the PPP/C attempted to serve the RO with a notice for a recount but was unable to do so as he was surrounded by a swarm of Police officers who prevented the service.
The ranks were seen lined up waiting, while Mingo was making the declarations.
Guyana Times was told that as soon as the formalities were over, he was immediately “surrounded by the police and whisked away”.
This newspaper understands that at least five other political parties that contested the March 2 General and Regional Elections also made attempts to serve the RO with recount notices but also failed to do so.
These include A New and United Guyana (ANUG), The Citizens Initiative (CI), Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), The New Movement (TNM) and United Republican Party (URP).
According to the Representation of the People Act Chapter 1:03 Article 84 (2), parties have up until “noon of the day following the declaration” of results in the General and Regional Elections to request a recount, otherwise the declaration is considered final.
Meanwhile, following the declaration, PPP/C Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali in a statement said that what Guyana is “going through is an attack on our present and our future as a nation. This aggression is being carried out by a few individuals who are committing crimes against the dignity and rights of all Guyanese.”
According to Ali, the international community and observers have the SoPs and they know who the legitimate winner of the March 2, 2020 elections is.
“If this mode of removing democracy and putting in place a dictatorship continue, sanctions will come and we will all lose. Our nation received an unimaginable amount of support from countries that share our democratic values. We will not become Venezuela as some are seen hellbent in making our dear beloved land,” he asserted.
Ali went on to say that he trusts that the Army and Police will stand by the people of Guyana and uphold the country’s Constitution.
“So, I call on every single one of you, no matter who you voted for, to join me in this journey that will put to test our individual love for this great nation. Now is a time for unity and respect for each other. The power of the people is stronger than the people who want to steal their way into power,” Ali stressed.