Small parties call on APNU+AFC to abide by High Court ruling, stop wasting courts’ time

Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 July 2020, 11:32 by Denis Chabrol

Rhonda-Ann Lam

Two small parties that contested the March 2020 elections have joined calls for the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) to abide by Monday’s  High Court ruling that the national vote recount figures must be used to declare general election results, and advised them against appealing the matter.

The Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and the Citizenship Initiative (TCI) have both issued statements in support of this call, saying that a move to the Court of Appeal could only be viewed as a waste of the court’s time in adjudicating these very issues again.

In welcoming Monday’s ruling the LJP said the decision by the High Court is reflective of every stillbirth argument presented by the APNU+AFC in trying to convince their supporters, the Guyanese people and the international community that they were victorious at the March 2020 polls.

The party says considering that the Caribbean Court of Justice and the Chief Justice were comprehensive and clear in their previous judgements, the LJP sees the approach to the Court of Appeal as a waste of the court’s and country’s time and it is an obstruction of the elections declarations by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led APNU+AFC.

“I PLEDGE MYSELF TO HONOUR ALWAYS THE FLAG OF GUYANA” Liberty and Justice Party’s Leader and then Presidential Candidate, Lenox Shuman saying Guyana’s National Pledge at the launch of his political party.

“That Mr. (David) Granger says that his party is not interfering in the work of the GECOM, the frivolous filing that has been succinctly dispatched by the CCJ – Guyana’s Apex courts and now the high court, are paramount evidence of his and the PNC’s continued attempts to deny the electorate their franchise,” the LJP statement added.

Meanwhile, the TCI made similar calls urging parties to abide by the recent high court ruling regarding the election, while pointing out that the Chief Justice ruled that the matter before her had already been litigated during previous challenges from the elections and that their re-litigation was a waste of the court’s time.

The TCI praised the chief justice saying she, “continues to execute her judgments with careful detail to jurisprudence and application of the law. Her understanding of the issues and the context against which Guyana continues to be placed in is exceptional.” It says that the professionalism by the court inspires faith in the judicial system.

The LJP, which is part of the joinders with A New and United Guyana (ANUG) and The New Movement (TNM), are expected to be be declared winner of one seat in the 65-seat National Assembly.

TCI and Change Guyana contested the March 2 polls separately.

(Samuel Sukhnandan)