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Prime Minister, Moses Nagamootoo has expressed disappointment with the statement by Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Prime Minister of Barbados, Hon. Mia Mottley.
The Prime Minister was on Wednesday evening a guest on 107.1 FM. Benschop Radio. Earlier on Wednesday, the CARICOM Chair issued a statement expressing concern with the reports submitted by GECOM’s Chief Elections Officer Keith to the commission. Mottley said many have observed with great sadness what has been transpiring in Guyana, noting that it has been than 100 days since the people of Guyana went to the polls. And yet there is no declared result.
From the very beginning we have been clear and said consistently that every vote must count and every vote must be made to count in a fair and transparent way. “Regrettably we have seen a level of gamesmanship that has left much to be desired and has definitely not portrayed our Caribbean region in the best light. This is definitely NOT our finest hour and we MUST NOT shy away from that reality.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is concerned at reports that the Chief Elections Officer has submitted a Report to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) which is contrary to the directions given by the Commission and which does not reflect the results of the recount process as certified by the very staff of the Guyana Elections Commission and witnessed by representatives of the political parties.”
According to PM Mottley indeed, these numbers and the certification of them were also witnessed by our CARICOM Observer Team. They travelled to Guyana (in spite of the pandemic and the risk to themselves) and they scrutinised the recount process. The CARICOM Observer Team was of the unshakeable belief that the people of Guyana expressed their will at the ballot box on March 2 and that the results of the recount certified as valid by the staff of GECOM led to an orderly conclusion on which the declaration of the results of the Election would be made.
“Therefore, we must ask – on what grounds and by what form of executive fiat does the Chief Elections Officer determine that he should invalidate 1 vote, far less over 115 000 votes when the votes were already certified as valid by officers of the Guyana Elections Commission in the presence of the political parties. We must remind all that If there is any evidence of fraudulent or improper conduct then there is a clear and well accepted route to deal with these matters. It is through an Election Petition to an Election Court.”
Mottley said any attempt to provide numbers different from those certified by the staff of GECOM has left many in shock and wondering what next will happen to frustrate the will of the Guyanese people. The role and focus of political parties must be useful and not obstructive in embracing and promoting the clear and expressed will of the people. When we confuse and frustrate that will, is when we begin to sow the very seeds of discord and acrimony that we are sworn to dissuade and discourage. The Community holds the strong view that no voter must be disenfranchised in determining the credibility of this or any election. It is this commitment to a fair and transparent political process that led us to send 2 Electoral Observation Missions – one for the Elections and one for the recount. In addition, 4 Prime Ministers accompanied me to talk to both sides and to urge patience especially after the death of 1 person.”
Unfortunate statements
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nagamootoo in rebutting some of Mottley’s observations reminded that following the country’s General and Regional Elections on March 2, 2020, the Chair and other CARICOM heads of government intervened to ensure there was a recount of the total votes cast. He noted that an order was gazetted and a CARICOM observer team was facilitated to oversee the recount. “There was a three-member scrutineer team in Guyana, they had conducted limited scrutiny of the ballots and submitted a report,” he remarked and further pointed out that the report also highlighted several anomalies unearthed during the recount.
The Prime Minister said that the statement by Prime Minister Mottley relied on the recount without the figures produced being reviewed despite the CARICOM team’s report indicating that “it was not just a mere recount but an audit, like a forensic audit looking at everything.”
He noted that while Prime Minister Mottley is entitled to her opinion as Chair of CARICOM, “it is unfortunate that her statement comes on the eve of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) being engaged in a matter of appeal.” On Tuesday, PPP approached the CCJ to appeal the decision handed down by Guyana’s Appellate Court. The CCJ on Tuesday evening granted an injunction delaying GECOM from issuing a declaration of the results of the election until it hands down final orders relating to the application.
