Stop obstructing GECOM’s declaration – Irfaan Ali to APNU/AFC

…says delay tactics will serve no purpose but hurt Guyana

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Presidential Candidate, Dr Irfaan Ali has urged de facto President David Granger and his A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) party to be responsible and stop blocking the declaration of the election results.

During a press conference delivered after Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George ruled in Misenga Jones v GECOM et al on Monday, Ali questioned what could possibly be APNU/AFC’s rationale for continuing to delay the election results.
This is a question that has stumped many. Other than artificially prolonging its life in Government, observers have questioned what APNU/AFC could possibly gain by delaying their removal from office when the entire international community, the political opposition, civil society and half the country are against them.
“We welcome the ruling and we’re saddened that although the ruling was clear and pointed to the many examples where issues that were raised in this case were already dealt with at the Court of Appeal, that associates of APNU/AFC are continuing their delay tactics and denying our country the stability we so badly require, as we seek to tackle the issue of COVID-19, the serious economic circumstances we are facing and the financial difficulties at the central level and Private Sector.”
Ali made it clear that APNU/AFC cannot continue to expose Guyana to sanctions, which the United States has already started to apply. Last week, a number of officials deemed to be undermining democracy had their visas revoked.
“As they continue to delay the declaration, find ways in delaying the declaration that affects the democratic will of the people, that those sanctions are going to get stronger and stronger. All aspect of life here in Guyana will be affected.”

Maturity
Ali also pointed to the fact that at all stages the PPP/C has acted in a mature manner. When the PPP lost the General and Regional Elections back in 2015, the party demitted office within days. Yet, despite the recount showing that the PPP won the elections by 15,416 votes, APNU/AFC and Granger refuse to concede defeat.

As several, including Granger’s own son-in-law Dominic Gaskin, have said, the APNU/AFC’s focus on delaying the will of the people is just eroding the party’s ability to remain viable and competitive at future elections.
“We have called on the Government to act selfless, act in the interest of citizens. In 2015, after elections, we in the PPP sought to be a disciplined opposition. An opposition that would continue to represent the rights of citizens. An opposition committed to the task of nation-building.”
“It is for that reason we remain viable, relevant and consistently in contact with the Guyanese people. Representing their interest. Which resulted in a victory at the elections. We cannot overstate the call for this Government to act in a responsible manner. To act with decency and integrity.”

Delays
Following the 33-day National Recount, it was determined that the PPP/C won the elections with 233,336 votes while the APNU/AFC coalition garnered 217,920. Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh wrote to her Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield, on June 16, directing him to prepare a final report based on the recount.
Instead, Lowenfield had submitted a report invalidating over 115,000 voters based on unsubstantiated allegations of dead and migrant voters, made by the APNU/AFC. Lowenfield’s actions caused an immediate uproar and the varying sides found themselves in the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) for the Irfaan Ali et al v Eslyn David et al case.
Among other decisions, the CCJ ruled in a unanimous decision that Lowenfield’s report which arbitrarily disenfranchised voters was invalid and that the concerns raised by the APNU/AFC coalition must be addressed in an elections petition.
The GECOM Chair wrote Lowenfield again, instructing him to submit his report so that the President could be declared. However, Lowenfield then engaged in a back and forth with the Chair in which sections of the CCJ judgement were twisted and misconstrued.
He then submitted a fraudulent report to Justice Singh, in which he included the fraudulent declarations of embattled Returning Officer for Region Four Clairmont Mingo, which inaccurately shows that the PPP/C gained 80,920 votes while the APNU/AFC received 116,941 votes in Region Four. Just when Singh looked set to forge ahead with or without the CEO, APNU/AFC supporter Misenga Jones took GECOM to the High court.

Ruling
In her ruling on Monday, Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George threw out the Misenga Jones application, ruling that recount Order 60 of 2020 is valid and must be used as the basis to declare the results of the 2020 General and Regional Elections. In fact, she referred to Jones’ application and the contentions of Attorney General Basil Williams as “hopelessly flawed.”
The Judge ruled that Jones and Williams misinterpreted what the CCJ ruled. In fact, Justice George said that if one is to read the ruling, the CCJ plainly endorsed, rather than invalidated, the recount.
The acting Chief Justice also made it clear that GECOM Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield is no lone ranger, and must take his direction from GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh. She also read the CCJ judgement itself, which supports Section 18 of the Election Law Amendment Act and the subservient role Lowenfield plays. (G3)