PPP moves for injunction to stop declaration without recount Anil Nandlall APNU+AFC candidate gets injunction to block CARICOM vote recount

-private criminal charges being pursued against RO,

Volda Lawrence

(March 15, 2020)

The High Court yesterday held another Saturday sitting to hear an application by the opposition PPP/C for an injunction to restrain the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from declaring the final results of the March 2 polls until a recount is done in Region Four in accordance with the law.

The matter was, however, adjourned until Monday after the respondent, GECOM, indicated that it was not aware of a material submission made by the applicant.

According to attorney and executive member of the People’s Progressive Party Anil Nandlall, on Friday evening he requested that the Registrar of the High Court facilitate a sitting of the High Court and this request was granted. He said because the High Court building in Georgetown was fumigated yesterday with certain toxic chemicals, the sitting of the High Court took place at Diamond/ Grove Magistrate’s Court, on the East Bank of Demerara. (March 18, 2020)

High Court judge Franklyn Holder has granted an injunction restraining the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from authorising a recount of ballots cast at the March 2 elections based on the agreement between President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

The judge granted the applicant, Ulita Grace Moore, a regional candidate at the polls for APNU+ AFC, injunctions restraining GECOM, its Chairperson and the Chief Election Officer from permitting or authorising any person or persons pursuant to any agreement between the president and opposition leader and/or any agreement between GECOM and CARICOM to count or recount any ballots cast by electors until an application for judicial review is heard.

An independent high-level team from CARICOM had flown-in over the weekend to supervise the recount of ballots due

to controversy over the tabulation of the votes cast for Region Four, which opposition parties as well as international and local observers say was not done in a transparent manner.

As a result of the court order, the team has since indicated that it would be withdrawing from the recount process, which had been due to begin since Monday.

(March 31, 2020)

The Full Court this morning ruled that the injunctions granted to APNU+AFC candidate Ulita Grace Moore to halt a recount of the votes cast at the March 2 polls and granted by Justice Franklyn Holder are null and void.

The Full Court comprising Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George and Justice Naresh Harnanan handed down the ruling.

The Full Court said that the matters raised in the injunction application filed by Moore are better suited for an election petition rather than the way it was presented before the court.