Conversation Tree

Over the past few days, Barbados Prime Minister and Chair of Caricom Mia Mottley accused Keith Lowenfield, our Chief Election Officer, of “gamesmanship.”

APNU will not succeed in its efforts to reverse the results of the recount; and shared governance will not be achieved by the light touch of a Madame Chancellor/President or on the rubble of burnt out ballot boxes.

Guyana, and indeed the world, has moved on in significant ways since June 13, 1980, when Walter Rodney was assassinated.

The recount winds down amidst the 40th Anniversary of the assassination of Walter Rodney, one of Guyana’s most prominent and courageous fighters for democracy and free and fair elections.

Cynicism in relation to elections in Guyana did not begin with the debate as to whether the majority of 65 is 33 or 34 in relation to the no confidence motion passed against the APNU+AFC Government by the National Assembly on December 21, 2018.

While the political atmosphere is still heavily laden with gloom, it was somewhat lifted by President Granger’s statement last week that the Government will accept ‘any declaration’ made by GECOM pursuant to the recount.

As the week ended, a clear strategy by APNU+AFC appears to be emerging.

The President and Leader of the Opposition agreed on a recount.

Dear Distinguished Caricom Observer Team: Messrs Cynthia Barrow-Giles, John Jarvis and Sylvester King.

The jury is still out on whether the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will deliver credible election results, notwithstanding the widespread demands of the international community and a broad cross-section of Guyanese.

Interest in “Ian on Sunday” of April 12, (“Everything is interesting,”) attracted not only my attention but that of SN’s editorial writer last Friday, days after I had completed this effort.

The daring absurdity of the 156-day plan for the recounting of the ballots of the March 2 elections begs the question of what exactly goes on at meetings of the Elections Commission.

It will not be until 11 am today that the Guyanese public will know whether a recount by GECOM is going to take place soon, or at all.

The headline is not an original formulation. It is partially borrowed from the late Miles Fitzpatrick, then a columnist in the Stabroek News.

Just as the Elections Commission (“the Commission”) was getting its act together, gingerly tiptoeing its way to a decision to recount the votes cast in the general and regional elections held on March 2, Ulita Moore, a candidate for the APNU+AFC in the regional elections, caused to be filed a case in court seeking a variety of declarations and orders against the Commission.

When I first encountered the issue of rigging of elections in Guyana, I was a student activist.

Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act is quite clear.

Some foreign observers are unaware of Guyana’s electoral history. One wonders whether such observers are qualified to observe Guyana’s elections.

During the 2011 election campaign, the PPP/C held the view that it would obtain the support of up to 60% of the electorate.

The three political parties that invoked section 22 of the Representation of the People Act signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Friday setting out the principles on which both their pre- and post-election cooperation will be based.