The United States (U.S.) on Thursday hinted at possible sanctions on Guyanese officials and politicians if the results of the March 2, 2020 general elections are not verified. Acting Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, Michael Kozak warned on Twitter that “Under U.S. law and practice those who participate and benefit from electoral ...
Read More »Tag Archives: Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM)
Caricom leaders say “every vote must count” in Guyana’s elections; calls on Returning Officer to abide by High Court ruling
A team of Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders left Guyana Thursday after attempting to mediate in a dispute over the results for the March 2, 2020 general elections, saying that “every vote must count.” “Any attempt to stall the process or any attempt to obfuscate the process is one that runs against the spirit of the Chief Justice’s judgement and it ...
Read More »PPP wants Caricom to oversee vote verification, recount
Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo Wednesday night said he told several leaders of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) here in Guyana that the regional grouping could assist in overseeing a recount of votes cast in Region Four if reconciliation of statements of poll show glaring discrepancies. “Caricom can help to ensure that there is a proper verification, and verification, as provided for ...
Read More »High Court scraps Region Four votes declaration, orders GECOM to conduct recount
Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire on Wednesday ordered the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to restart or continue the verification of the results for Region Four from Thursday at 11 am. She issued that and several other orders because she found that GECOM’s Returning Officer for Region Four had caused “substantial non-compliance” with the Representation of the People Act concerning the addition ...
Read More »WPA says will abide by court decision; condemns PPP for stoking unrest
The Working People’s Alliance (WPA) — one of the parties in the governing APNU+AFC coalition — on Tuesday said it would abide by the High Court’s ruling on whether the Region Four election results should be verified or declared, even as it reiterated its historical call for power-sharing. “In the circumstances WPA deliberately refrains from commenting on the matters before ...
Read More »GECOM Chairman turns down PPP vote verification requests because issue before court
Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh has refused requests by the People’s Progressive Party for a restart of the verification of votes cast in Region Four before they are declared. Justice Singh has also refused the PPP’s request for a final count of the Region Four votes to begin immediately, all without prejudice to the ...
Read More »High Court says can hear case against GECOM; agrees elections report must be scrapped
Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire on Sunday ruled that the High Court has jurisdiction to hear related cases involving several now “absolute” orders against the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) that results for Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica) must not be declared unless they are verified using the same process as the other nine regions have. Sunday’s decision effectively puts a brake on the ...
Read More »GECOM says will abide by laws, procedures
Even as the European Union (EU) said the electoral situation in Guyana has taken a “serious turn”, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has signalled its intent to comply with the law to properly declare the results of the March 2 general elections. “While it is unfortunate how things have escalated, it is the intention of the Guyana Elections Commission to ...
Read More »OPINION: Reach across the political divide
by Retired Major General Joseph Singh I hold no brief for any political party but am interested in working, like many others, towards achieving an outcome from the current 2020 Elections challenges, that may not satisfy everyone but which at the very least, complies with the Rule of Law and the Guyana Constitution, and one which is respectful of basic ...
Read More »OPINION: Stop the violence, burden of Guyana’s future rests with GECOM Chairman
by Christopher Ram The descent into sporadic but geographically widespread violence following last Monday’s general and regional elections is a most regrettable and dangerous development in this country. Our political leaders must elevate the national interest above that of their party. This requires empathy, understanding and courage in order to protect our country’s hard won but still developing democracy. Those ...
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