US ready to work with GECOM, international observers on recount -Pompeo

Last Updated on Wednesday, 8 April 2020, 22:20 by Writer

United States (US) Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo has welcomed the decision by Guyana’s court system that effectively paves the way for a national recount of votes cast in last month’s general elections and pledged to work with the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and foreign observers to get the task done.

“We’d also like to commend Guyana’s High Court for clearing the way for a nationwide recount of that country’s recent national elections as well. We look forward to working with the Elections Commission and the international observer community to ensure that that process is free, fair, transparent and credible,” he told a news conference on Tuesday.

That segment of Pompeo’s press conference was tweeted by the United States (US) embassy in Guyana.

Secretary Pompeo at today’s Department of State press briefing pic.twitter.com/DutN2bryGm

— U.S. Embassy Guyana (@EmbassyGuyana) April 7, 2020

GECOM spokeswoman, Yolanda Warde told News-Talk Radio Guyana 103.1 FM/Demerara Waves Online News that the Guyana government would have to invite foreign teams, but she said the commission was yet to endorse a Caribbean Community (CARICOM) team coming to Guyana for the recount. “The Commission did contemplate a role for CARICOM as a key observer and that will be discussed further after recount plan is received from the CEO (Chief Elections Officer),” she said.

Elections Commissioner, Vincent Alexander has said the commission decided that a CARICOM mission could come to validate the recount of the ballots cast on March 2. The Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Keith Rowley has said his government would be willing to support of the high-level team which includes the Chief Elections Officers of Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago, to scrutinise the recount.

Guyana’s Court of Appeal on Sunday ruled that GECOM could not assign the management and supervision of general elections to anyone and that anyone was free to seek a judicial review from the High Court to ascertain whether the seven-member commission was violating the law.

A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) candidate, Ulita Moore, according to President of the Court of Appeal, Dawn Gregory, secured a partial victory but due to the national importance and urgency of the case she declined to send it back to the High Court for the review to be conducted.