Guyana Elections Commission Looking At Legal Issues Before Ballot Recount Could Start

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, March 17, 2020 (CMC) – The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) said, today, that the recounting of ballots, from the disputed March 2 regional and general election, “would commence, immediately”, after it has conducted the legal examination of the enabling document, signed by President, David Granger, and Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo.

Both Granger and Jagdeo had, last weekend, agreed to the national recount exercise, following discussions with the Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Barbados Prime Minister, Mia Mottley; and last weekend, a high-level, five-member, independent CARICOM team arrived, here, to overlook the recount of votes in all 10 Regions.

Granger had asked Mottley to ensure that the CARICOM initiative “operates within the legal framework of the Constitution of Guyana and respect the role of the Elections Commission and the rulings of the Supreme Court”.

In a statement, GECOM said that it “is in receipt of a copy of the aide memoire”, signed by both men and witnessed by CARICOM Secretary General, Irwin LaRocque.

“As a consequence, the Commission is currently examining the legal ramifications of this agreement, in accordance with the Constitution of Guyana,” GECOM said, adding, while it has considered the proposal and has implemented systems for the organisation of the exercise, “as a safeguard mechanism, it is necessary for all legal issues to be properly addressed, including the gazetting of the process, as requested by the high-level CARICOM delegation that is here, to overseer the recount.

“Once finalised, the counting would commence, immediately. The outcome of the Commission’s decision, in this regard, would be communicated, and adequate notice on the start time for the exercise, would be provided,” the GECOM statement, signed by its Public Relations Officer, Yolanda Ward, indicated.