Six political parties in joint call for full recount

A CARICOM supervised recount of all votes may have been obstructed, but six political parties are resolute that it must be facilitated in order to have a credible and internationally respected election result. The parties are Change Guyana (CG), People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), United Republican Party (URP), A New and United Guyana (ANUG), The New Movement (TNM), and The Citizenship Initiative (TCI). The parties hold that the need for a recount is premised on grounds that there have been unlawful and/or illegal actions highlighted by the actions of district four returning officer, Clairmont Mingo. Mingo had made two declarations of the region four general and regional election results. The first, which was marred by a lack of transparency and irregularities, was vitiated by Chief Justice Roxane GeorgeWiltshire in a ruling. Her ruling had categorically asserted that Mingo did not comply with the legal tabulation process as stated in the Representation of the People Act.

The second declaration, made last Friday, was similarly marred with issues of irregularities and a lack of transparency. Several parties now hold that, like the first declaration, the second was not made in compliance with the Act. Hence, they hold that Mingo is in breach of the Orders of the Chief Justice, which followed her ruling. It is for these reasons that GECOM Chair, Justice Claudette Singh agreed to facilitate a Caricomsupervised recount, as called for by the leaders of the two major parties, David Granger and Bharrat Jagdeo.

The global community, including Caricom; Organization of American

States; European Union; Commonwealth Secretariat; Carter Center, and their representatives: such as Caricom Chairperson and Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, and other Caribbean Prime Ministers; US Ambassador SarahAnn Lynch; EU Ambassador Fernando Ponz Cantó; UK High Commissioner Greg Quinn, and Canadian High Commissioner Lillian Chatterjee and several reputable Guyanese, have spoken out in favour of a recount and/or the need for a democratic transition.

(Kaieteur News)