US to assist in strengthening democracy to prevent reoccurrence

Guyana’s 2020 elections debacle

During a recent meeting with Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Minister Gail Teixeira, US Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch reiterated her government’s intention to help strengthen Guyana’s institutional democracy to avoid any reoccurrence of the 2020 elections debacle.

According to a statement from the Legal Affairs Ministry, the US diplomat expressed her admiration for the legal team that defended the rule of law, constitutionality and democracy during the multiplicity of proceedings that were filed before the declaration of the March 2, 2020 elections.
For his part, the Attorney General thanked the Ambassador for her, the US Embassy’s and the US Government’s critical role in ensuring the results of the elections were not derailed.
Meanwhile, the US Ambassador again pledged her Government’s intention to assist and collaborate with the Guyana Government in a number of areas, including but not limited to security, security training and enhancement, human services, legislative reforms, and strengthening Guyana’s institutional democracy to avoid a recurrence of the elections debacle.
Guyana’s March 2 General and Regional Elections process ended up lasting five months – largely due to attempts by political operatives and compromised electoral officials to deny the will of the people.
Dubbed the “Mother of all Elections”, this year’s electoral process saw blatant attempts by electoral officials to alter the results of the elections, with Returning Officer for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) Clairmont Mingo giving to the then incumbent A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition more votes than it had gained at the polls.
With countless stakeholders raising concerns about those discrepancies, a national recount ensued – but despite agreeing to the exercise, APNU’s Leader David Granger sought to have the process frustrated through a number of legal battles filed by the coalition’s supporters.
There were more challenges at the end of the countrywide recount, with the APNU/AFC refusing to accept the certified results which showed that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had won the election.
More legal battles ensued, pressure from the international community mounted, and eventually sanctions were imposed by the US against certain officials. Eventually, Granger and his regime conceded defeat, and Dr Irfaan Ali was sworn in as the ninth Executive President of Guyana.