Western missions concerned at continuing delay in results
-say every vote must be reflected
The representatives of the US, UK, Canada and the European Union (EU) yesterday expressed concern at the continuing delay in declaring the results of the March 2nd elections and they said that every vote must be reflected in the final declaration.
The joint statement came a day after an astounding report from the Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield that he had cancelled over 115,787 votes.
Ambassador of the United States, Sarah-Ann Lynch, British High Commissioner, Greg Quinn, Canadian High Commissioner, Lilian Chatterjee, and the Ambassador of the European Union, Fernando PonzCanto said they were concerned that 114 days after the 2 March elections the people of Guyana continue to await the declaration of the result.
“It is important in our view that every vote, cast by every voter, be reflected in that declaration, in order to ensure that the will of the people of Guyana is respected. That respect includes an election declaration of results that mirrors the order and integrity displayed by the people of Guyana, GECOM and party officials, as witnessed by domestic and international observers during the 2 March general and regional elections”, the statement said.
The assertion that every vote must count would be seen as a rejoinder to Lowenfield’s discarding of the 115,787 votes.
The quartet also noted that the CARICOM observer mission, which it pointed out was referred to as “the most legitimate interlocutor” by President David Granger, concluded on 15 June that “nothing we witnessed, warrants a challenge to the inescapable conclusion that the recount results are acceptable and should constitute the basis of the declaration of results of the March 2, 2020 elections.”
The four representatives said “We believe election results are long overdue and, in that regard, we applaud the patience and peacefulness displayed by the people of Guyana. Pending the outcome of the appeal to the CCJ, we trust GECOM to meet its constitutional duty to issue a Declaration on the basis of the results of the Recount as confirmed by CARICOM, to ensure the democratic choice of the people is fulfilled”.