Dear Editor,
I join the numerous persons and organisations which have called for the APNU+AFC-led caretaker government to grant approval immediately for the Carter Center which has been duly accredited as an election observer to be allowed to return to Guyana so that they could complete their electoral observation mission.
The refusal of the APNU+AFC-led government to allow the Carter Center to return is a breach of the very Order on which the very recount is being conducted. The Order states, “ … the recount process shall be conducted in the presence of representatives of … and observed by International and Local Observers accredited by the Guyana Elections Commission …” The Order goes on further to state that the “following persons are entitled to be present: representatives of political parties that contested the said elections, the CARICOM Scrutinising Team, International and Local Observers accredited by the Guyana Elections Commission, …”
An Order, just like a Regulation, Rule, By-Law etc are all instruments falling into the category called
“subsidiary legislation”. The refusal by the APNU+AFC-led caretaker government to allow the Carter Center to return to Guyana is not only the political weaponization of the Covid-19 but a violation of the Order and breach of their legal entitlement thereunder.
Further, section 6 of the General Elections (Observers) Act CAP 1:10 makes it an offence for anyone to obstruct or interfere with an accredited observer in the performance of his functions or the exercise of his rights conferred thereunder. Finally, the refusal makes everyone wonder what is it that the “refusers” have up their sleeves and what they would be trying to hide from the observers.
Yours faithfully,
Charles S. Ramson
