Guyana Elections 2020

The United States yesterday called upon Guyana to ensure that the March 2nd general elections are free and fair and expressed concerns about the Government’s “apparent misapplication” of the country’s constitution and “certain court rulings.”

Following nine contentious months and one court action, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) will today be certifying the Official List of Electors (OLE) with 661,028 names.

While Change Guyana yesterday focussed on its proposed developmental plans for the East Berbice community through people empowerment, its presidential candidate Robert Badal also underlined the need for creation of local value.

The European Union today announced the deployment of its March 2 election observer mission here.

President David Granger yesterday met three members of the United States Congress at the Ministry of the Presidency and assured them that the March 2nd General and Regional elections will be free and fair.

GECOM today ruled that the leader of the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP), Lenox Shuman be removed from the list of candidates submitted by his party as he was a dual citizen at the time.

Joining their Lists of Candidates will ensure that votes cast for them will not be wasted as they seek to deny the winning party an absolute majority in parliament, leaders of the parties that have engaged in the historic move for the March 2 polls have said.

By David Papannah in Anna Regina People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) presidential candidate Irfaan Ali yesterday declared that the policies outlined in his party’s manifesto were conceptualised to take Guyana into the future and he highlighted plans to fight crime.

In a historic move, A New and United Guyana (ANUG), the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The New Movement (TNM) have agreed to join their Lists of Candidates so that the votes they secure at the March 2 general and regional elections could be counted collectively and improve their chances of securing parliamentary and regional seats.

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has proposed and drafted a code of conduct for political parties ahead of the March 2nd General and Regional Elections but to date has received a response from only one of the contesting parties.

The governing A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition has not yet officially announced a release date for it 2020 Manifesto but Prime Ministerial Candidate Khemraj Ramjattan has assured that it is likely to be published in early February.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has declared that if his party cannot stop the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from using House-to-House registration data to update the voters list they must be given an opportunity to verify every change made.

The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has approved the lists of 11 contestants ahead of the March 2 General and Regional Elections (GRE); of that number nine will be contesting the General Elections.

The US-based Carter Center today announced that it had launched its observer mission here for the 2020 general elections.

All holders of constitutional offices, including judges and members of commissions such at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), are being given salary increases in line with those which were granted to public servants.

General Secretary of the PPP, Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday flayed President David Granger for dictatorial tendencies  and going against the constitution as he launched scathing attacks against the governing APNU+AFC coalition in front of thousands of supporters at an Albion, Berbice rally.

PPP/C Prime Ministerial candidate Mark Phillips yesterday slammed the governing coalition which he said was running scared and desperate and he also took aim at APNU’s Joseph Harmon for saying that he was an ethnic token.

Change Guyana Prime Ministerial candidate Nigel Hinds today withdrew from the ticket helmed by businessman Robert Badal citing his dual citizenship and a likely medical condition he learnt of in November last year.

Following their observation of Nomination Day on Friday, the heads of the British, United States and the European Union missions here have congratulated the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) for a smoothly run process and called for “a peaceful and mature election campaign.”

Citing incidents of “intimidation, abuse and assault” during political party campaign activities, the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) yesterday issued a call for an immediate end to hostilities in the lead up to and after the March 2nd polls, while announcing plans to re-engage the country’s political leadership on the situation.