Guyana Elections 2020

The recount of votes in the March 2 general elections will not begin today as a key document is still to be concluded.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) today said that all arrangements are in place for a recount of votes from the March 2nd general elections under CARICOM’s supervision.

Starting with Region Four, the recounting of ballots from the hotly disputed March 2 general and regional elections should begin this afternoon under the supervision of a high-level CARICOM team.

In an address to the nation today, President David Granger says he has proposed to CARICOM Chair, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley that the initiative for the recount of the March 2 votes operate within the legal framework of the constitution and respect the role of GECOM and the rulings of the Supreme Court.

A High Level Team from CARICOM is now in Guyana to supervise the re-counting of ballots from the country’s 2 March 2020 Elections, according to a statement today from CARICOM.

With the completion of the vote count from the March 2 polls prompting claims of fraud, an independent high-level Caribbean Community (CARICOM) team is due to arrive to supervise a full recount of the ballots cast in all ten regions at Guyana’s elections based on an agreement by President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo. 

The incumbent A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition is “generally satisfied” with the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections (GRE) and has denied involvement in any type of fraud related to the tabulation of votes in Electoral District Four.

Following his controversial declaration of results, Region Four Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo has denied the requests by eight of the ten parties that contested the March 2 general and regional elections for recounts, while saying that none of their counting agents was properly appointed.

The High Court yesterday held another Saturday sitting to hear an application by the opposition PPP/C for an injunction to restrain the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from declaring the final results of the March 2 polls until a recount is done in Region Four in accordance with the law.

The Guyana Press Association (GPA) yesterday condemned threats and attempted physical attacks on media workers in recent weeks during elections coverage.

Hearing at Diamond/Grove court on application for a recount of Region Four and to challenge last night’s declaration of Region Four results.

The Returning Officer (RO) for Region Four Clairmont Mingo has declared results for his voting district after a process roundly rejected by other contesting parties and observers except the incumbent APNU+AFC coalition, which stands to be declared the winner of the March 2 polls should they be certified.

Alliance For Change (AFC) executive Dominic Gaskin yesterday said he was not “sufficiently convinced” that the polling results purportedly declared by the Returning Officer (RO) for Region Four last accurately reflected the statements of poll (SOPs) from the 879 polling stations.

Supporters of the APNU+AFC coalition yesterday harassed representatives of rival political parties, observer groups and members of the media as they stood behind the security barriers outside Guy-ana Elections Commission (GECOM) offices.

Saying that it has no faith in the Guyana Elections Commission’s (GECOM) use of Statements of Poll (SOPs) for the tabulation of Region Four votes, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) yesterday called for a recount of all ballots for the electoral district.

The Organization of American States (OAS) Election Observation Mission yesterday withdrew from the country saying that the tabulation process for Region Four was not transparent and it has warned that the legitimacy of any government installed in these circumstances will be open to question.

Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland yesterday warned that if the voter tabulation for Region Four was not completed in accordance with Wednesday’s ruling by Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, it would constitute a “serious violation of the fundamental political values of the Commonwealth”.

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire yesterday emphasised that in the tabulation of votes for Region Four, the Statements of Poll (SOPs) must be displayed for all observing the process to see.

The police are currently seeking legal advice in relation to the alleged assault of APNU+AFC activist Vivian Henry, Divisional Commander of Region Two Crystal Robinson has confirmed.

Alliance For Change (AFC) executive Dominic Gaskin today said he was not “sufficiently convinced” that the results declared by the Returning Officer (RO) for Region Four on March 5th accurately reflected the statements of poll from the 879 polling stations.