In orders issued yesterday afternoon, the Guyana Court of Appeal reiterated that while the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) can proceed with a recount of the ballots cast in the March 2nd general and regional elections, it cannot abdicate or delegate its supervisory function over the election process, more particularly the recount of the ballots.
In a two-to-one decision, the Appeal Court on Sunday allowed a sliver of APNU+AFC candidate Ulita Moore’s appeal and ruled that GECOM has the authority to do a recount of ballots but cannot accord this power to any other body as appeared to have been suggested in a GECOM press release which said that a Caribbean Community (CARICOM) team would “supervise” the recount.
The appellate court also reduced into an order its finding setting aside an order of the Full Court that the High Court did not have jurisdiction to hear the matter. Justice Franklyn Holder had previously granted Moore injunctions halting the planned recount.
