Guyana Elections 2020

The envoys of the US, UK, Canada and the European Union today said the full count of Region Four’s elections results was not completed and they questioned the credibility of the results released today by GECOM.

Amid mounting chaos in the verification of the election results for Region Four, the Head of the Commonwealth observer team, Owen Arthur  this evening said final results for the general elections have not been tabulated and he urged all of the stakeholders to ensure full compliance with the law.

Lawyers associated with the PPP/C today secured an injunction against GECOM, the Chief Election Officer (CEO) and the Returning Officer for Region Four, Clairmont Mingo from declaring the election results from Monday unless done in compliance with the law.

Unrest is continuing at the Region Four Returning Officer’s office on High Street where the votes for the region are still being verified.

Foreign Minister Dr Karen Cummings was today accused of threatening to take away the accreditation of foreign observers amid mounting chaos in the verification of Region Four votes and her words drew a sharp rebuke from the Head of the Commonwealth observer mission, former Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur.

Verification of the statements of poll (SoPs) for Region Four is to resume today following a major commotion this morning that saw the Police being called in to investigate reports that a data entry clerk had a suspect flash drive and lap top in his possession.

Nine of Guyana’s 10 electoral districts have officially declared the results of the Regional Elections contested on Monday and the opposition PPP/C was leading the incumbent APNU+AFC by over 51,000 with only Demerara-Mahaica to be verified.

Verification of Statements of Poll (SoPs) for Region Four was on hold last night after some staff said they were exhausted, compounding hours of delay earlier in the day when a questionable spreadsheet of results triggered a major controversy and an emergency GECOM meeting.

International observer group, the Carter Center, has called on everyone including political parties to refrain from declaring elections results while the country waits for the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to official announce them.

Head of the CARICOM Election Observation Mission to Guyana’s March 2 elections, Cynthia Combie-Martyr has expressed dissatisfaction that previous recommendations to reform the electoral system were never implemented even as Monday’s polls were deemed free and fair.

President David Granger last evening urged supporters to remain patient and await the official declaration of results from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) as no one knows the “final scores.”

Echoing a recommendation made over previous electoral cycles, the Commonwealth elections observation mission has called for the reform of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and has also urged that any election-related dispute be expeditiously addressed through appropriate dispute resolution mechanisms.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) today began releasing preliminary general elections results. 

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) yesterday failed to get anywhere near to declaring a final result as anxiety mounted in various sectors and duelling reports swirled as to who was victorious.

Many businesses in the capital and other parts of the country remained closed yesterday as the nation awaited the results of Monday’s general and regional elections.

While declaring the voting process credible, the Private Sector Commission (PSC) yesterday took aim at the sloth in the release of the results from Monday’s polling.

As Guyanese continue to anxiously await the results of the 2020 General Elections, one foreign observer mission is advising that the elections commission implement a technological solution which would allow for preliminary results to be available on Election Day or the morning thereafter.

The police do not have evidence to further pursue investigations into the allegation that forged identification (ID) cards were distributed for persons to vote on Elections Day at the Goed Intent/ Patentia Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

GECOM Chair Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh today declared yesterday’s poll to be free and fair  but the elections secretariat has so far been able to provide only 5% of the results raising the prospects of a lengthy delay in the final result.