Guyana Elections 2020

Region 4 Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo completed the count of votes cast in the General Election just after 7 pm this evening amidst objections from several political parties as well as international and  local observers.

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

On the heels of the pullout today of the OAS observer mission, the missions from the Commonwealth, the European Union and the Carter Center today expressed grave concern about the continued lack of transparency in the determination of the March 2nd election results for Region Four.

In a sign of the deepening crisis for Guyana and the caretaker Granger administration, the OAS election observer mission today announced it was withdrawing from the country as the tabulation process for Region Four is not transparent despite the many complaints about it.

The envoys of the US, UK, the EU and Canada today ratcheted up the pressure on the Granger administration and GECOM by warning that the swearing in of any President on the basis of flawed results could lead to Guyana’s isolation.

President David Granger and Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo met together with a visiting delegation of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads of government on Wednesday night and committed to upholding the law to resolve the current elections impasse, CARICOM Chairperson and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley reported yesterday.

Today at 9 am the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will attempt once again to complete the tabulation of the votes cast in Region Four during the March 2 General and Regional Elections (GRE).

President David Granger yesterday said that he was satisfied with the mediation efforts of the five Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Heads of State who concluded a two-day visit here yesterday and promised to abide by the constitution and the decision of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) on the outcome of the March 2 general and regional elections.

Acting US Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Michael G Kozak today said that it is vital that the High Court mandated tabulation for Region Four be done in a fair and transparent manner and he also warned of consequences for those who benefit from electoral fraud and impede a peaceful transition of power.

The European Union (EU) Election Observation Mission has written to the Returning Officer of Region Four, Clairmont Mingo asking to see the Statements of Poll that he used to prepare a spreadsheet of results which is intended to be utilised  for the declaration of results for Demerara-Mahaica.

Less than two hours after the restart of the tabulation of votes cast in Region Four the process was once again suspended just after midday so that the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh   could read the written ruling of Chief Justice (CJ) Roxane George delivered yesterday.

In a major ruling, the High Court has quashed the presidential respite granted to Finance Minister Winston Jordan, who was held in criminal contempt for the non-payment of over US$2.2 million owed to Trinidad company Dipcon, saying, among other things, that the decision was in excess of jurisdiction and no reasonable argument had been advanced in support of the said decision.

-orders GECOM to take remedial steps Photos by Orlando Charles Acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire has ruled that the purported declaration of results for Region Four, by Returning Officer (RO) Clairmont Mingo, following the March 2nd general elections was unlawful as it did not conform with requirements in Section 84 of the Representation of the People Act.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday told a delegation of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders that he prefers that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) recount the ballots for Region Four following a disputed result that saw both major parties claiming victory. 

The questionable process employed in tabulating the votes in Region Four and the results do an injustice to all of the voters, says attorney Selwyn Pieters, who was an observer at the March 2 general and regional elections.

The WPA has renewed its call for a government of national unity that guarantees Guyana’s major ethnic groups protection against domination by the other.

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire today ruled that there had been substantial non-compliance by the Returning Officer for Region Four Clairmont Mingo in his purported declaration of of results for Region Four and the results are therefore null and void and vacated.

Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who is also Chairperson of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is leading the delegation of regional Prime Ministers on a special two-day mission to Guyana.

Transparency Institute Guyana Inc (TIGI) which was one of the local observers at the March 2 general elections  today said that GECOM has a duty and owes it to the people of Guyana to verify the results of the elections before announcing a winner.

A delegation of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) heads led by Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley is due to arrive here today for a two-day visit intended to ease tensions in the country following last week’s disputed polls and to help broker a resolution to the political impasse.