Alert

At a press briefing at the US State Department today, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says he has instructed his Department to have all of those who undermine Guyana’s democracy held accountable.

The pressure continues to build on the incumbent APNU+AFC to clear the way for the transition of power with key US senators calling for President David Granger to concede.

CARICOM Chair, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley today slammed the “gamesmanship” surrounding the Guyana elections and expressed bewilderment that  the Chief Election Officer could cancel over 115,000 votes.

The representatives of the US, UK, Canada and the European Union (EU) today expressed concern at the continuing delay in declaring the results of the March 2nd elections and they said that pending the outcome of the current appeal to the CCJ they trust that GECOM will use the figures from the recount.

The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has advised that it will convene a full hearing of all matters associated with the appeal by Bharrat Jagdeo and Irfaan Ali of yesterday’s decision by the Guyana Court of Appeal, sources say.

  Following a ruling by the Appeal Court, Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield has submitted what he claims to be a report of the “valid and credible votes” at the March 2 polls to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), showing a victory for the incumbent APNU+AFC after invalidating almost 25% of the votes cast at the March 2 polls.

PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo and PPP/C presidential candidate Irfaan Ali today served notice of an appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) of yesterday’s decision of the Guyana Court of Appeal which asserted that it had jurisdiction under Article 177 (4) of the constitution in relation to the election of the President.

In a case brought by Eslyn David, the Guyana Court of Appeal this afternoon agreed by majority decision to issue an order  that  there  be  an  interpretation  of  the words “valid votes cast” as per Article 177 (2) (b) of the Constitution of Guyana and the recount order as it pertains to the election of a President.

AFC executive and former Minister of Business in the APNU+AFC government, Dominic Gaskin tonight said that there was no reasonable basis on which the governing coalition can  claim to have won more votes than the PPP/C in the March 2nd elections and he said claims of fraud have been “grossly exaggerated”.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud today reported 12 new cases of the Coronavirus in Region One.

Attorney Anil Nandlall this afternoon said that no Injunction or Order of Court has been granted against the Chief Election Officer (CEO) or GECOM.

The opposition PPP says that even if the Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield subverts the electoral process by not submitting the correct results today for the March 2nd general elections, GECOM can act on its own.

Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield was this afternoon directed to prepare the final report for the March 2nd general elections using the data from the recount of votes.

The Carter Center today commended the Guyana Elections Commission on the completion of the recount process and welcomed the CARICOM observer report, which indicates that despite minor flaws in the process, the recount results are acceptable and provide the basis for a declaration of results from the March 2 election.

Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland today welcomed the CARICOM observers report on recount of the March 2nd general elections and called for the acceptance of the  results.

The Organisation of American States (OAS) today welcomed the findings of the CARICOM observer team that the recount of votes from the March 2nd      elections provides the basis for the declaration of a result and it called for the incumbent APNU+AFC to begin the process of transition.

The CARICOM observer team at the recount of votes from the March 2nd general elections says it reflects the will of the people and provides a basis for the declaration of a result.

The PPP today slammed a report submitted to GECOM by Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield on the March 2nd recount of votes as ultra vires and in excess of his authority.

 Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield today delivered his report to GECOM Chair Claudette Singh on the 33-day recount of votes and sources tell Stabroek News it says that in each district it cannot be ascertained that the results meet the criteria of free and fair elections.

Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd and Guyana Goldfields Inc (GGI) today announced that they have entered into a binding arrangement agreement  pursuant to which Zijin will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Guyana Goldfields for cash consideration of C$1.85 for each Guyana Common Share, valuing Guyana Goldfields at approximately C$323 million.