After months of wrangling over the results of the recount of votes from March 2nd and a slew of court cases, GECOM Chair Claudette Singh yesterday declared the PPP/C to be the winner of the controversy-ridden polls in the absence of the three government-appointed commissioners who had left in protest.
Singh’s surprise declaration after months of delays came after an 11 am meeting was adjourned to 2pm to allow last-ditch dialogue between President David Granger and PPP General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo “on the way forward”. This initiative was at the request of the government-appointed commissioners Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin and Desmond Trotman. However, Jagdeo declined talks.
When the meeting reconvened, Singh moved swiftly to declare Ali the new President after receiving the recount result from Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield who had refused three times previously to deliver. Singh then made the declaration and initiated arrangements for the swearing in.
