CARICOM observer team returns

GEORGETOWN (CMC):

THE HIGH-LEVEL Caribbean Community (CARICOM) observer team, tasked with scrutinising the national recount of all the votes cast in the disputed March 2 regional and general elections, will arrive in Guyana on Thursday, the National COVID-19 Task Force has announced.

In a statement, it said that approval had been given to a request from the 15-member regional grouping for officials to travel to Guyana for the “purposes of overseeing the recount of ballots by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)”.

CARICOM’s Secretary General Irwin Laroque on Monday informed GECOM that it was awaiting approval from officials here for the chartered flight for the team.

GECOM had said that the travel arrangement for the team was crucial to the commencement of the recount.

The elections body said it aims to have the entire process completed within a 25-day time frame. However, this will depend on the pace of operation, which it said will be determined after an observation of the first week.

GECOM said it intends to carry out the recount, utilising 10 hours per day, with 10 workstations.

LaRoque had also informed GECOM that arrangements would be made for the members of the team to be tested in their respective countries, using the World Health Organization-approved PCR COVID19 test.

Both the ruling coalition, the Partnership for National Unity and the main opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic are claiming victory in the elections that were observed by regional and international teams, including one from CARICOM.