Guyana Elections 2020

The European Union (EU) observer mission to Guyana’s elections today said that the electoral process has taken a “serious turn” following the declaration of results for Region Four last night by Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield.

Despite an injunction in place preventing it from making a declaration of the total vote count from last Monday’s elections, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) yesterday continued to move ahead to finalise the results, with  Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield requesting that a meeting be called so that he may submit his final report.

Acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire will today rule on whether the High Court has jurisdiction to hear an application from the PPP/C, which is seeking to have the tabulation of votes in Region Four from last Monday’s general elections done according to the law prior to the declaration of a final result.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Karen Cummings told foreign observers of Monday’s general and regional elections at a meeting last Thursday that she had been instructed to take away their accreditation if necessary but she objected, it has emerged.

The Guyana Police Force yesterday said Sewdat Hansraj, the youth who was fatally shot during last Friday evening’s protest at Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice, had been attacking its ranks with a cutlass alongside other protestors—an assertion that was rejected by his family and residents of the village, who called for an investigation to be done.

The United States State Department yesterday warned that any government sworn in on the basis of the flawed tabulation of results from last Monday’s polls “would not be legitimate,” as international calls grew for the disputed Region Four results to be verified before the swearing-in of a president.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) yesterday called on Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) officials and the political leadership to work together to ensure that the tabulation of the results from Monday’s polling is done according to the law in order for a peaceful and legal completion of the process.

Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan yesterday defended the actions of the police during Friday’s protests across the country, while noting that the use of “minimum force” was necessary given the circumstances.

The Bar Council of the Guyana Bar Association (GBA) yesterday voiced its “deep concern” at the prospect of any swearing in of a president on the basis of the purported declared results for Region Four and joined international observer missions in calling for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to comply with the legal requirements to ensure transparency and credibility of the polling.

The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) has condemned all acts of violence and racist behaviour at the current time, including attacks directed against Indigenous Peoples in wake of the release of some results from Monday’s general and regional elections.

People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) presidential candidate Irfaan Ali yesterday once again appealed to his party’s supporters for calm, while saying that opposition has activated legal recourses to ensure that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) adheres to the law in the tabulation of votes for Region Four at last Monday’s elections.

Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire will on Sunday afternoon rule on whether the High Court has the jurisdiction to hear an application seeking to have the tabulation of votes in Region Four at Monday’s general elections done according to the law prior to the declaration of a final result.

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire hears an injunction against GECOM. Justice Navindra Singh on Thursday granted an injunction in the matter against the Guyana Elections Commission, Chief Election Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield and Returning Officer for Region Four Clairmont Mingo.

Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire will this morning preside over an emergency hearing on an application seeking to have the tabulation of votes in Region Four at Monday’s general elections done according to the law prior to the declaration of a final result.

A Cotton Tree Village, West Coast Berbice youth was fatally shot last night as violent protests that gripped the area earlier in the day continued and another teenager was also critically injured but was unable to be transported to the hospital in Georgetown for further medical care due to the roads being blocked by protesters.

Scenes of violence unfolded and a bus transporting schoolchildren was attacked, police were stoned and chased, motorists were harassed and roads were blocked and set afire as rioters, protesting what they claimed were “rigged” elections, rampaged at several locations in Berbice yesterday.

Protests at Lusignan and Mon Repos on the East Coast Demerara (ECD) erupted into violence and three persons were injured after being shot by pellets fired by the police as hundreds of persons gathered to demonstrate against what they claimed was the “rigging” of Monday’s elections. 

Voicing their concern over “credible allegations of electoral fraud” that they say could influence the results of Monday’s general and regional elections, the heads of the western missions in Guyana yesterday urged President David Granger against a potentially unconstitutional transition of government.

The United States Department of State yesterday warned against any declaration of victory or swearing in as a result of Monday’s polls while questions remain about the credibility of the process.

The APNU+AFC coalition yesterday called on citizens to remain calm and not engage in any act to disrupt national life or cause any strife or inconvenience even as it noted that the final declaration of results of Monday’s general election by the Guyana Elections Commission is still being awaited.