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1st July – 31st July Local Statements

1st July – 31st July Local Statements

Lewis & Green “crossed the line” in shunning Constitution – FITUG

July 29, 2020

lincoln-and-green

See full statement by the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) on the recent remarks made by Hamilton Green and Lincoln Lewis:

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) has seen media reports as it concerns calls by former Prime Minister Hamilton Green and longstanding GTUC General
Secretary Lincoln Lewis for President David Granger to disregard the Constitution and to
impose his will and way. While Mr Green, for his part, has sought to walk back his comments, attributing them to a slip of the tongue, Mr Lewis remains, so far, silent.

The FITUG finds the comments by both erstwhile gentlemen to be completely out of place
and they must be forthrightly and roundly condemned. While both men may have their
political convictions and have shown where they stand, in our view, they have crossed the
line.

We consider it wholly unacceptable for anyone, much less persons such as Messrs Green and Lewis, to advocate openly for the President, or anyone for that matter, to throw away the Constitution. We hasten to remind them and all Guyana that the Constitution at its preamble says, among other things, “We the Guyanese people…Forge a system of governance that promotes concerted effort and broad-based participation in national decision-making in order to develop a viable economy and a harmonious community based on democratic values, social justice, human rights, and the rule of law…”.

Those sentiments, we contend, were not chosen lightly but were enshrined after considerable thought. Therefore, to seek to wish them away, as some are, is highly irresponsible. The Federation is also most surprised, and we daresay perplexed, by the comments of Lincoln who we have known for a long time. Mr Lewis, we recollect, has long advocated embracing the Constitution. He is known for his consistency advocacy of the Constitutional provisions that seek the involvement of civil society in governance. Therefore, we find him now calling on the President to act not only contrary but to throw away the scared rules of our land deeply disturbing.

Also, what message is Lincoln, as a trade unionist, sending to employers? What would be his reaction to employers ignoring conditions set out in Collective Labour Agreements? We have to wonder whether he fully considered his remarks. The FITUG holds that the comments by both individuals certainly do no credit to their credibility, waning or not. As persons who have been in the arena for as long as they have they ought to have known better and definitely acted with more responsibility.

They certainly must shoulder the blame for their comments and no pacification can erase the dark blots on their characters. We hold that Guyana as a democratic society must uphold and abide by our Constitution and all laws. To seek to disregard or to ignore the rules, as some now openly seek, cannot be considered proper in any modern society.

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APNU+AFC sees `carefully orchestrated plan’ to oust it

July 26, 2020

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The incumbent APNU+AFC today claimed that there was  “a carefully orchestrated plan to oust a legitimately elected government and to implement regime change”, a contention which has been dismissed by the PPP.

In a statement APNU+AFC also maintained that GECOM must not include alleged “fraudulent” votes in a final declaration.

APNU+AFC has been completely isolated by what has been seen in the local and international communities as outlandish and baseless claims about the elections. APNU+AFC has also been the intended beneficiary of several attempts by senior GECOM officials to rig the March 2nd general elections.

A statement by APNU+AFC follows:

APNU+AFC CALLS FOR  “VALID VOTES” IN RECOUNT TABULATIONS. VOTES FROM COMPROMISED EAST COAST DEMERARA BOXES AND OTHERS CANNOT BE INCUDED.

The APNU+AFC  notes  GECOM’s current position that fraudulent votes be included in the final tabulations emerging from the 33 day recount process and insists that all fraudulent votes must be excluded.

We recall that in our press release of June 7, 2020 APNU+AFC noted with disappointment the decision of GECOM to tabulate and include over 11,000 fraudulent votes found in 47 ballot boxes from the East Coast of Demerara and others revealed in the laborious recount process which have been carefully quantified and discrepancies verified from authorizing agencies.

In 63 letters of correspondence to Chair and The Secretariat of GECOM over the last three months, the Coalition requested that these and other issues which were “parked” be dealt with.  It speaks volumes to note that the APNU+AFC received 6 responses to their 63 letters.  As a major stakeholder in these elections we find this totally unacceptable and reiterate that fraudulent votes must be excluded in a final count. These concerns must be addressed if we are to move forward.

The APNU+AFC entered into the recount process with the expectation that the misgivings regarding the Mingo declarations would be investigated.  Unlike 1997 President David Granger did NOT have himself sworn in secretly, but suggested a recount as we have nothing to hide. What came out of the process was indications of massive fraud and “rigging” perpetrated and to the benefit of the PPP.

Gazetted Order 60 of 2020 outlined an approach and as Appeal Court Judge Brassington Reynolds in his ruling stated “Counsel for the second-named respondent [Chairperson of Gecom, Justice Ret’d Claudette Singh] admitted that GECOM did set as its objective, determining the final credible count of votes ”

With this in mind we find it unconscionable that the fraud found in 1261 infected boxes, revealed under the watchful eyes and in the presence of local and international observers, members of the diplomatic community and election agents from all the political parties received no condemnation.  These groups with their continued silence on this fraud have displayed their absence of fairness and impartiality which has spawned a suspicion and lack of trust amongst the more that  236,000+ APNU+AFC supporters who voted in these elections. This threatens the stability of Guyana.

The threat of COVID-19, the unfolding events in Venezuela and the constant threatening comments directed to GECOM, the President, Government officials and supporters when GECOM has not yet made a declaration is a clear indication of a carefully orchestrated plan to oust a legitimately elected government and to implement regime change by some entities and not a genuine desire to assist Guyana at his difficult time..
These developments are contrary to the democratic principles this coalition Government has held dear.

APNU+AFC calls for a  credible vote, since in the bundle of tabulated votes rests several votes which are fraudulent.
Decisions in relation to issues raised by APNU+AFC are awaited.

An edited version of the PPP response follows:

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) notes the latest inane and incredulous ramblings in the form of a public statement, dated July 26, 2020, issued by the APNU+AFC Coalition. This press statement, clearly, cannot be intended for sane, right-thinking Guyanese.  It seems written for a ‘captured’ David Granger who needs repeated convincing of the line being pushed by the Coalition’s Joseph Harmon and others and will no doubt be taken to Mr. Granger as ‘evidence’ of the delusion notion of an electoral victory.

It rehashes a set of issues that have long been overtaken by events and judicial pronouncements from both the High Court and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).  It continues to recite the ridiculous and unsubstantiated allegations made by APNU+AFC at the recount exercise; it accuses the PPP of rigging; it attacks Order 60 of 2020 and it quotes Justice Brassington Reynolds’ ruling in the Court of Appeal in the Eslyn David case, which was set aside by the CCJ.

“… (the author)  erases the existence of a report produced by David Granger’s most “legitimate interlocutors”, the CARICOM team, who dismissed their allegations of irregularities as erroneous, unsubstantiated and of nuisance value only, while endorsing the recount as credible and transparent and calling for the results of the recount to be used as the basis for the declaration of the final results of the elections.

The author of this statement further ignores a 60-page judgement from Guyana’s highest court, the CCJ, which not only set aside Brassington Reynolds’ decision in the Court of Appeal in the Eslyn David case, but also vacated Keith Lowenfield’s fraudulent report to the Guyana Elections Commission as well as endorse the recount process as legal, fair and credible. In consequence, the CCJ ruled that the results from the recount process must be used as the basis for the declaration of the final results.

Similarly, the statement omits to mention a word of the Chief Justice’s recent ruling in the Misenga Jones case, in which she dismissed a case based upon the identical sentiments expressed in the very statement.

Finally, the delusional author of this statement repeats the outrageous allegation of a national and international conspiracy to oust the APNU+AFC from Government. If anything at all, this statement is proof to the world that the rigging cabal has clearly lost their minds and remains a threat of danger to Guyana and its people.

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Nagamootoo calls for dialogue and shared governance

Jul 26, 2020

Head of National COVID-19 Task Force, Moses Nagamootoo

See below a column written by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo:

DIALOGUE ON THE WAY FORWARD

The APNU+AFC Coalition of Parties has stated that it remains “open to dialogue” on the way forward for Guyana.

The Coalition said it is doing so “in the national interest, and with a view to maintaining stability and peace”. It assured further that “the APNU+AFC Coalition is prepared to act responsibly to bring a resolution to the ongoing political situation”.

The on-going political situation of course is the prolonged delay in the declaration of results for the March 2 elections, including a 33-day recount process and attendant legal proceedings, that have combined to place Guyana in its deepest crisis ever.

For the see-far pundits reading the magical tea leaves, the Coalition’s statement is politically and strategically correct. It was both an invitation to the major opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) for talks and a curtain-raiser to what seems to be a positive signal for power-sharing.

RENEWAL PROJECT

In my July 12 column I had said that dialogue on the way forward might sound like a worn-out cliché. However it is intended as a road-map that seldomly works well or smoothly, but it is always useful if only to momentarily steer antagonists away from the dangerous precipice.

Since then I have seen the emergence of the little-known “The Guyana Renewal Project” group which is calling for a period of inclusionary democracy. In a Communique, the Project stated:

“There are deep concerns and fears about the ethnic polarization and unseemly racism that haunts the land. Guyanese citizens at home and abroad want a homegrown solution. They recognize that now is the time for dialogue.” (July 19, 2020)

The Project Group, which bundles Guyanese intellectuals here and abroad, has made specific proposals for its inclusive governance idea. These include rotation of the posts of the presidency and prime minister (as in Israel and Afghanistan), and equitably shared Cabinet portfolios between the two major parties or blocs.

Commenting on the situation a former Ambassador and Jagan confidante, Geoffrey Da Silva, observed:

“With the political stalemate, the reality of the conundrum of inter-ethnic rivalry between the African and Indian communities, and unfair ethnic and class competition, most Guyanese realise that, based on their previous experiences, the solution is not an elective despotism (a winner-take-all government), nor a dictatorship. Either situation would definitely widen ethnic and class disparities with grave consequences.” (Stabroek News, July 19, 2020).

He noted the fragility of a victory for either of the two major parties that is based on a one-seat majority with just over a percentage point lead. He predicted that even “a PPP/C Government cannot be successful if it monopolises governance…”

DISTRESS SIGNAL

For Guyanese citizens, not versed in nuances of political opportunism or skullduggery, the call for dialogue at this time is an SOS distress signal. They see the Guyana ship of state in danger, and they want all hand on deck to literally save their souls, as they battle the COVID pandemic and try to cut corners for survival.

For the PPP to come at the table would require a tough decision by visionary leaders. They could use history as a guide, and avoid impetuous responses.

On August 12, 1977 then President Forbes Burnham rejected an offer made by Opposition Leader Cheddi Jagan for the PNC and the PPP to form a “National Front Government”. Sadly, to this day, over forty years later, Guyana is still bleeding from her wounds due to ethno-political division and the animosity between these two major parties.

This time around the shoe is on the other foot, and it is the Government that holds out the olive branch to the Opposition! If history were to repeat itself, yesterday’s farce could be today’s tragedy.

POLITICAL DIVISION

That failure of political leaders to heal “the incompatibility and animosity that characterize their relationship” was noted by former American President Jimmy Carter after his visit during August, 2004.

Recalling the post-1992 promise of healing the political division and ethnic polarization, President Carter expressed dismay at what he described as 50 years of fierce rivalry:

“Instead of achieving this crucial goal of inclusive and shared governance, the Guyanese government remains divided with a winner-take-all concept that continues to polarize many aspects of the nation’s life”. (August 14, 2004)

I have met President Carter on three separate occasions, and with his Center routinely. At the top of their concerns were proper continuous voter registration, campaign financing laws, constitutional reform and a technical/non-political elections commission instead of the current partisan set-up.

Guyana rejected good advice at its peril. The failure to effect meaningful constitutional and electoral reforms has resulted in an unholy trinity of a bloated voters list, use of dirty money and influence-peddling, and an almost paralysed elections commission. These have combined to degrade into a vulgar sideshow of fraud, what otherwise should be free and credible elections.

ETHNIC RIVALRY

Much of this is due to ethnic rivalry, which was highlighted by Jason Calder in his article, “Ethnic Conflict threatens democracy in Guyana” (March 26, 2020).

Calder, who founded the NGO, “Saferworld”, knows the local turf having observed several elections in Guyana with the Carter Center, including the 2020 elections, over a sustained 25-year-period.

Calder described as a “toxic system” the winner-take-all constitutional formula that pits the Indo and Afro Guyanese communities against each other in every election. He dug deep into our past when, he said, the CIA manipulated Guyana’s ethnic rivalries for Cold War ends.

He said that the ethnic violence unleashed during that era still scars the country today, saying:

“Every nation struggles with its demons, but the US government bears unique responsibility for some of Guyana’s.”

Jason Calder concluded that the winner-take-all system is not right for Guyana, and that the call by Guyanese elder statesmen for constitutional reform of the winner-take-all system “must finally be put on the national agenda and treated seriously”, in order “to break the endless cycle of division and recriminations”.

It is in this fresh context that we should see the critical importance of dialogue. The alternative would be a vicious circle of conflict, confrontation and non-cooperation.

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Political parties urged to dissuade supporters from attacking the judiciary

July 24, 2020

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STATEMENT BY THE BAR COUNCIL OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION OF GUYANA CONDEMNING ATTACKS ON THE JUDICIARY

For the third time this month, we are moved to once again speak, as we have previously done condemning attacks on the judiciary, attorneys-at-law and generally, persons in the lawful exercise of their profession and duties.

Over the past four months, judges presiding over matters touching and concerning the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections have been subjected to distasteful unrelenting personal and other attacks which not only bring them into odium but also serve the undesired result of undermining public confidence in our judicial system.

The Bar Association once again condemns the recent inflammatory, malicious and racially charged statements, made over the past two days, through various forms of media, targeted again at the Court of Appeal in yet another pending election matter. The Guyana Bar denounces and objects to any member of the judiciary being subjected to scurrilous, disrespectful, racial and indecent attacks, which do or have the tendency to scandalize or lower the authority of any court. All such actions which interfere with the due course of any judicial proceedings or obstruct the administration of justice in any other manner must be condemned.

While the judiciary is not immune from public expressions of concern and criticism, such right is not unfettered and must be exercised within the ambit of the law and governing legal principles; the breach of which could result in legal proceedings being instituted against such perpetrator(s) and where applicable punishable by imprisonment.

We wish to urge, advise and warn all persons to be cautious, exercise prudence, pragmatism and show due respect for the judiciary when making public statements thereon. We also call on all political leaders to assuage and guide their supporters and members of the public in responsible appropriate conduct. The resounding silence in the face of these attacks from those who from time to time have asserted a leadership position in the statutory structure of our legal profession, is disappointing and regrettable.

“Stand up for something or fall for anything”. We must all stand together in the face of the current attacks against a sitting Judge in a pending matter in the Court of Appeal of Guyana which have plunged our society further into unimaginable lows.

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GECOM Chair argues appeal of recount case should be dismissed

Jul 24, 2020

GECOM Chair, Retired Justice Claudette Singh

Justice (rt’d) Claudette Singh, the Chairwoman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is arguing for the appeal filed against Monday’s ruling of Chief Justice Roxane George to be dismissed.

The Chief Justice had validated the recount of ballots cast on March 2 and invalidated all other elections report made before the recount started.

“…the Appeal filed herein is frivolous, vexatious and amounts to an abuse of the Court’s process,” Justice Singh’s attorney Kim Kyte-Thomas submitted in her written response to the Court of Appeal.

Kyte-Thomas will present oral arguments when the case comes up on Saturday at 10:00h.

In her written submission, she argues that the appeal lacks merit and ought to be dismissed since the findings and decision of the Chief Justice represent the long-established jurisprudence of electoral laws and the electoral regime in respect to the issues raised before the court.

She reasoned that the issues raised were heard and determined before, and in keeping with the res judicata principle, the application should not be entertained by the Court of Appeal.

Kyte-Thomas argued that the recent decisions of the Court of Appeal and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) dealt with the same issues being raised again, and so the appeal seeks to re-litigate issues already determined.

The applicant Misenga Jones, an agent of APNU+AFC, is again challenging the constitutionality of the order which provided for a recount of all votes cast on March 02 and whether the declarations made before the recount should stand.

The reason for the argument that the old declarations should be used is that the country’s electoral laws provide for Returning Officers to declare the results in their respective districts and those results are then tabulated by the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) to provide a report to GECOM for a declaration of the winner to be made.

Kyte-Thomas contended that Order 60 is lawful and she argued that the Court of Appeal has already ruled that questions regarding the elections process must be argued during an elections petition after the results of the elections are declared.

“Any challenge to the validity of an election and any dispute or claim of any irregularities or illegalities in relation to an election can only lawfully form the basis of an Election Petition after the result has been declared,” Kyte-Thomas stated.

She also pointed out the pronouncement of the CCJ that “unless and until an election court decides otherwise, the votes already counted by the recount process as valid votes are incapable of being declared invalid by any person or authority.”

The Chief Justice in her ruling Monday made it pellucidly clear, Kyte-Thomas argues, that “far from nullifying Order 60 and the recount process, in my view the CCJ explicitly endorsed it”.

Further at paragraph 60, the Chief Justice had stated that “both courts had pronounced on the issue and as such she could not rule that Order 60 was invalidated”.

“It is respectfully submitted that the Court of Appeal and the Caribbean Court of Justice have already determined the validity of the Recount process and the recount Order and found that the process was transparent and in keeping with the Constitutional powers of GECOM as well as the legislative framework of our electoral system,” Kyte-Thomas stated.

She noted that in the recount process, the District Coordinators for each district signed off the Certificates of Tabulation which were also signed by the stakeholders. The District Coordinators were equivalent to the Returning Officers provided for under the electoral laws.

Regarding the role of the Chief Elections Officer, she argued that nothing that the Officer does in relation to the elections is exempt from the direction, instruction, or supervision of the Commission.

“He cannot act arbitrarily or as a ‘lone ranger’, in the words of the Honourable Chief Justice but is subject to the Commission, the Constitution, and the laws of Guyana.”

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LJP rejects APNU/AFC’s calls for dialogue; says not open to talks with a “dictatorship”

July 24, 2020

presidential-candidate-of-the-ljp-lenox-shuman-addressing-supporters

The Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) has rejected calls by the APNU/AFC Coalition for “dialogue”.

See full statement below:

The Liberty and Justice is renewing its call for the dismissal of Mr Keith Lowenfield on grounds previously stated. The responsibility for us as a country being at this juncture politically is a burden that must be shouldered by the PNC and the GECOM secretariat under the leadership.of Keith Lowenfield. He has shown his disregard for the voting public and the Commission by his actions and those actions demonstrate the urgent and immediate need for his dismissal.

We note that the APNU has published a schedule of meetings in various parts of the country. We urge the Guyana Police Force to take swift and decisive action to deter any and all political actors from violating the COVID19 protocols.

We also note that the APNU has stated that they are open to Dialogue with political parties and other stakeholders while simultaneously issuing a juvenile letter in response to the Caricom Chair. The time for dialogue was 22 December 2020 at which point it should have revolved around an elections date. They have shown contempt for Guyana in all their actions leading up to date and the international community as of late. That they continue to show the utmost disrespect for anyone who points out their attempts to rig the elections while holding Guyana at ransom is clear demonstration that they are disingenuous, irresponsible and duplicitous. It is oxymoronic to be a dictator and want to call yourself a “resistance” when all that you are resisting is the will of the people.

The Liberty and Justice Party firmly believes that any dialogue with any dictatorship only serves to legitimize that dictatorship and will “NOT” engage in any such actions at this juncture with the APNU. We are open to Dialogue with legitimately and democratically elected governments. Should the APNU be genuinely interested in constructive dialogue, conceding that they have lost these elections would be viewed as a genuine first step. After the new democratically government is sworn into office, the Liberty and Justice will actively pursue dialogue with all legitimate and interested stakeholders in finding a progressive path forward for Guyana.

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Any refusal of Granger to leave office after declaration will be resisted – Jagdeo

July 23, 2020

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Amid continuing signs that APNU+AFC will not accept a declaration by GECOM of the results based on the national recount, PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo today said that President David Granger and the riggers supporting him are living in a fool’s world if they believe they will get away with that.

A statement issued by Jagdeo today follows:

STATEMENT BY DR. BHARRAT JAGDEO

In a statement issued yesterday the APNU+AFC said that it will not be accepting any declaration based on the figures derived from the National Recount.
This is in clear defiance of the international community, the Chief Justice, the CCJ and GECOM who have all been clear that any declaration has to be made on the basis of the figures from the recount, and also in contrast to earlier statements by President Granger that he will accept any declaration made by GECOM.
No one should be surprised as the PNC which Granger leads and which is essentially the APNU+AFC, has a history of not accepting the results of every election that they have lost since 1992.

What we have to do now is to work to ensure that we have a declaration that is reflective of the will of the people and only one that is derived from the figures generated by the national recount can produce such an outcome.

If Granger and his band of riggers believe that they can continue to hang on to office after the declaration has been made then they are living in a fool’s world. If the international community was prepared to condemn and levy sanctions against people who are trying to undermine democracy, even before the declaration, just imagine the consequences the riggers will face if they refuse to leave office after the declaration – essentially staging a coup d’etat. Needless to say, such a move will be met by fierce resistance by the PPP and other forces fighting for democracy.

I therefore urge Guyanese at this stage not to be too concerned about whether they will accept the declaration or not as we will cross that bridge when we get there. The consequences for Granger and the APNU+AFC at that time will be as alluded to by Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro: “Democracy or Abyss?”

Statement issued yesterday by A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) on the political situation in Guyana

General and Regional Elections were held on 2nd March 2020 in the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. The results of those elections had not been declared by Monday 20th July, twenty weeks afterwards.

Delays in the declaration of results were caused, in part, by several appeals which were made during this period – to the Supreme Court of Judicature, the Court of Appeal of Guyana and the Caribbean Court of Justice – to provide interpretations of electoral and other laws and to resolve problems arising from the elections.  The people of Guyana await a credible ‘Declaration’ by the Guyana Elections Commission.

A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC Coalition) is committed to a lawful and credible declaration of results based on valid votes. The Coalition has taken note of the ruling of Chief Justice Roxane George on 20th July 2020 in the case of Mesinga Jones v Guyana Elections Commission Chairman et al.

The APNU+AFC Coalition, as always, remains committed to the judicial process. That process is incomplete as it stands and the matter has been appealed in the Guyana Court of Appeal. Such an appeal is lawful, proper and guaranteed under the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, our supreme law. The Coalition will await the outcome of the appeal.

The APNU+AFC Coalition is resolved to ensure that fraudulent votes, cannot be factored in to represent the will of the electorate. Any attempt to include fraudulent votes in a ‘Declaration’ will constitute a violation of the Constitution and the fundamental principles of democracy. We maintain that the Elections Commission can only make a ‘Declaration’ based on valid votes.

The recount process which was conducted, painstakingly, for thirty-three days revealed massive irregularities and extensive fraud which cannot be foisted on the Guyanese people to contrive an outcome that betrays the will of the electorate.

The APNU+AFC Coalition, in the national interest, and with a view to maintaining stability and peace, remains open to dialogue with other political parties and stakeholders on the way forward for our country.  The APNU+AFC Coalition is prepared to act responsibly to bring a resolution to the ongoing political situation.

We implore all Guyanese to remain calm and peaceful as we await a credible and legitimate outcome.

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APNU+AFC arguing against fraud but ‘shamelessly’ fighting to be sworn in on Mingo’s fraudulent figures – Ramson

Jul 24, 2020

charles

See below full statement issued by PPP Member and Attorney-at-Law Charles Ramson Jr.:

I read with humour the APNU-AFC’s statement where they “resolved that fraudulent votes, (sic) cannot be factored in to represent the will of the electorate.”

The APNU-AFC’s purported interest in non-fraudulent votes would be believable if they were not, to this date, shamelessly pursuing being sworn in on Mingo’s fraudulent declaration.

The recount revealed one proven fraud in the March 2nd, 2020 General and Regional election and that was that Clairmont Mingo made a declaration for region 4 of over 15,000 votes which did not exist in the ballot boxes.

To this day, no one from the APNU-AFC has proffered an explanation for that fraudulent 15,000+ non-existent vote declaration. In fact, the APNU-AFC has never even acknowledged this proven fraud at all.

The shameless pursuit by the APNU-AFC to be sworn in on Mingo’s fraudulent declaration took multiple avenues. One would recall that the Ulita Moore case represented by an APNU-AFC candidate was premised upon obtaining Court Orders compelling GECOM to make a declaration on Mingo’s fraudulent declaration.

One would also recall that the APNU-AFC sought on multiple occasions through their GECOM commissioners (Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin, and Desmond Trotman) for GECOM to make a declaration on Mingo’s fraudulent declaration – before the recount commenced and recently as late as last week Monday (13th July, 2020).

In addition, the most recent case filed by the APNU-AFC in the name of Jones who worked on behalf of the APNU-AFC in the recount at the ACCC and represented by the same APNU-AFC candidate, also seeks a Court Order compelling GECOM to make a declaration on Mingo’s fraudulent declaration.

So, if the APNU-AFC resolution that “fraudulent votes cannot be factored in to represent the will of the electorate” were to be believed, they would first, release their Statements of Poll, second, at the very least, acknowledge Mingo’s fraudulent declaration, third, withdraw their case seeking to be sworn in on Mingo’s fraudulent declaration, and forth, file their petition after the declaration is made by GECOM as the Constitution prescribes and reinforced by the Supreme Court of Judicature.

Until then, no one will believe their resolution and quite frankly no one cares.

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Inclusion of `fraudulent’ votes in declaration will be  violation of constitution – APNU+AFC

July 22, 2020

apnu-afc

Clinging to power despite a recount result which showed that it lost the March 2nd general elections,  the incumbent APNU+AFC today said “Any attempt to include fraudulent votes in a ‘Declaration’ will constitute a violation of the Constitution and the fundamental principles of democracy. We maintain that the Elections Commission can only make a ‘Declaration’ based on valid votes”.

The APNU+AFC statement will be seen as another ominous sign that it does not intend to give up power even if the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) declares that it has lost the election.

The Caribbean Court of Justice has recognised the recount and the GECOM Chair Claudette Singh has said she intends to declare result of the election using the figures from the recount which show a win for the PPP/C. The recount figure does not contain “fraudulent” votes as is being suggested by APNU+AFC. Surrogates of the incumbent within GECOM have mounted a months-long campaign to steal the general election for APNU+AFC.

Any defiance of the GECOM’s declaration by the incumbent  would be seen as an overturning of constitutional rule and the seizure of power.

The statement issued by APNU+AFC follows:

Statement of A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) on the political situation in Guyana

General and Regional Elections were held on 2nd March 2020 in the Co-operative Republic of Guyana. The results of those elections had not been declared by Monday 20th July, twenty weeks afterwards.

Delays in the declaration of results were caused, in part, by several appeals which were made during this period – to the Supreme Court of Judicature, the Court of Appeal of Guyana and the Caribbean Court of Justice – to provide interpretations of electoral and other laws and to resolve problems arising from the elections.  The people of Guyana await a credible ‘Declaration’ by the Guyana Elections Commission.

A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC Coalition) is committed to a lawful and credible declaration of results based on valid votes. The Coalition has taken note of the ruling of Chief Justice Roxane George on 20th July 2020 in the case of Mesinga Jones v Guyana Elections Commission Chairman et al.

The APNU+AFC Coalition, as always, remains committed to the judicial process. That process is incomplete as it stands and the matter has been appealed in the Guyana Court of Appeal. Such an appeal is lawful, proper and guaranteed under the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, our supreme law. The Coalition will await the outcome of the appeal.

The APNU+AFC Coalition is resolved to ensure that fraudulent votes, cannot be factored in to represent the will of the electorate. Any attempt to include fraudulent votes in a ‘Declaration’ will constitute a violation of the Constitution and the fundamental principles of democracy. We maintain that the Elections Commission can only make a ‘Declaration’ based on valid votes.

The recount process which was conducted, painstakingly, for thirty-three days revealed massive irregularities and extensive fraud which cannot be foisted on the Guyanese people to contrive an outcome that betrays the will of the electorate.

The APNU+AFC Coalition, in the national interest, and with a view to maintaining stability and peace, remains open to dialogue with other political parties and stakeholders on the way forward for our country.  The APNU+AFC Coalition is prepared to act responsibly to bring a resolution to the ongoing political situation.

We implore all Guyanese to remain calm and peaceful as we await a credible and legitimate outcome.

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FITUG welcomes strong int’l concern, says Granger’s Coalition trying to hoodwink the world

Jul 22, 2020

fitug

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions in Guyana (FITUG) on Wednesday issued a statement welcoming what it said were strong and informed concern for Guyana’s unstable political situation by those in the international community and warned the David Granger led APNU+AFC coalition of the dire effects of continued attempts to hoodwink the world into believing its telltales.

See full statement below:

Coalition brings embarrassment to Guyanese

The FITUG, like many Guyanese, paid close attention to the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council meeting on July 21, 2020 which addressed the prevailing situation in our country. The convening of such an engagement is yet another telltale sign strong international concern about what is taking place in Guyana. It also demonstrates the seriousness of the situation that is currently unfolding and which can have several consequences for Guyanese.

The OAS, in considering the Guyana situation, received interventions from the de-facto Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Legal Affairs. The contributions of both senior Government officials could only be described, in our view, only served to bring further embarrassment to our people. Both Ministers peddled, in our view, clearly false narratives obviously, in an attempt, to mislead the OAS. This we contend is tantamount to seeking to insult the intelligence of the hemispheric body.

We had to wonder whether the Government team believed sincerely that the OAS is unaware of what is really taking place in Guyana. We consider the OAS and by extension its members most informed about Guyana’s state-of-affairs. We do not believe for any moment that the OAS to accepted the slanted opinions and cherry-picking of certain aspects of Court pronouncements by the Government. The fact that the de-facto Administration thinks it can really hoodwink the OAS and by extension the world is most humiliating.

Indeed from the interventions of our hemispheric brothers and sisters, was a vivid demonstration that they were not sidetracked or sucked in by the propaganda of the Coalition regime. They were most forthright in their calls for the APNU+AFC to accept the will of the people and to exit office.

We share the view that prolongation of the process, which is quickly approaching five (5) months, must be brought to swift and peaceful end. There is need for a transition in Government as the economy tethers and the lives of thousands of Guyanese hang in the balance. The selfish ways of a greedy few should not be allowed to persist but democracy must triumph.

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GECOM Chair should move forward with declaration, swearing in – private sector

July 21, 2020

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Welcoming yesterday’s decision by Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire, the Private Sector Commission today called on the GECOM Chair Claudette Singh to move towards the declaration of the result based on the recount of the votes and to the swearing in of the new President.

A statement from the Private Sector Commission follows:

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) welcomes the comprehensive and detailed decision and rulings of the Chief Justice (ag), particularly on the matter of the validity of the Recount and, most importantly, on the relationship between the Chief Election Officer and GECOM.

The Private Sector Commission notes that the Chief Justice (ag) has specifically ruled that GECOM must declare the result of the elections only from the data of the Recount and that “the view expressed that any irregularities would have to be addressed by an election petition”.

The Private Sector Commission has also noted that the Chief Justice (ag) has ruled that the Chief Election Officer is subject to the direction and control of the Commission in submitting his report to GECOM.

The Private Sector Commission, therefore, wishes to encourage the Chairman of GECOM to sanction no further delay in arriving at the declaration of the elections result from the Recount and to move with all due haste to the swearing in of the newly elected President of Guyana.

In this context, the Private Sector Commission takes this opportunity to reject, without reservation, the position of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) Observer Team claiming “that the result of the March 2nd 2020 General and Regional Elections could not be credible”.

The Private Sector Commission finds it extraordinary and is extremely disappointed that the GPSU, presuming to speak for all Public Servants, would arrive at any decision other than to recognize, as every other Local and International Observer Mission has done, that the March 2nd elections were, in fact, conducted in a wholly credible manner and that alleged, undocumented and unproved irregularities listed in the Observer Reports of the Recount, as the Chief Justice (ag) has ruled, are matters for an Election Petition.

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FITUG urges APNU/AFC to bring curtains down on elections

July 21, 2020

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The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) is calling on the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) to “bring the curtains down on its three-ringed circus and spare the Guyanese people and nation further shame and greater anguish.”

See full statement below

The Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana (FITUG) recognizes the decision of Chief Justice (a.g.) Roxane George in the matter brought by Ms Misenga Jones.

The applicant who sought, in our view, some most perplexing and we daresay ambitious declarations has essentially been ruled out of line by the Chief Justice and her application fell flat on its face. This latest litigation has only contributed to the inordinate delay in the finalization of the elections results which remain undeclared now going on to five (5) months.

While we recognize Ms Jones’ attorneys have indicated their intention to appeal the Chief Justice’s erudite decision, we have to ask to what end this is being pursued. Though we uphold a litigant’s right to an appeal, we contend that this must be measured and carefully considered in the interest of justice and specifically in this matter the democratic election process which is stalemated. It appears to us that the continuation of the matter has a hopeless probability of success. We say this taking into account previous decisions which were upheld and adumbrated by Justice George in her decision. It, therefore, would be an unwelcome surprise for other Courts to walk back on previous decisions especially in the absence of any credible or worthwhile submission.

The Granger Government, which has sought to distance itself from this and previous matters, has also signalled its intention to file an appeal. By their actions, the Government has smashed the scanty veneer of separation which may have existed in the eyes of a few. The utterances of the Attorney-General, at the conclusion of the Chief Justice’s decision, for us is ominous and, for us, has brought shame to the professionalism of the legal profession. We contend that attorneys worth their salt will not pursue matters which they are cognizant that they have not even the slimmest possibility of success. That to us can be seen as professional suicide and brings into question the ethical training which those attorneys would receive.

We are fully well aware, however, that the Court actions are not driven by legalese but by narrow, selfish political considerations as the incumbent, even with one finger, seeks to hold on to political office. This too has cast shame on politicians past and present as the Coalition pursues, embarrassingly, its charade. The FITUG holds that the time has long gone for the APNU+AFC to bring the curtains down on its three-ringed circus and spare the Guyanese people and nation further shame and greater anguish.

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APNU+AFC ‘selfish behaviour’ will lead to further demise of Guyana, citizens- TNM

Jul 21, 2020

tnm

See full statement issued by The New Movement (TNM):

Democracy has won another battle but the struggle still wages on. A struggle the incumbent sanctioned government seems to be enjoying on a daily basis.

These unfortunate events have taken a massive toll on our nation’s identity and economy. We are now on the agenda for discussion in the international community conferences, not because of our vast wealth but because of our political crisis and impending economic crisis. Our citizens are also affected mentally and economically.

Day in, day out, a new person appears on the streets seeking assistance from passerby and a new person is laid off from their job. The situation at this moment is an extremely depressing, frustrating and a disconsolate feeling to majority of Guyana’s population.

The APNU/AFC coalition is to be solely blamed for the local and international outlook of Guyana. Their gross incompetence and mediocre approach to this entire election must come to an end and their notorious leader, David A. Granger (DAG), can see to this being done. Mr. Granger needs to come out of the shadows of his oppressors and put this nation and her people first.

This selfish behavior, as The New Movement sees it, will not aid the current political situation towards completion but towards further demise of the Coalition, this country and her people.

Therefore, The New Movement, reiterates its call, that has seem to fall on deaf ears and blind eyes, for the Coalition to concede your defeat with dignity and bring an end to the misinformation and incompetent legal battles peddled under your administration.

I leave this quote by Alexander Pope with you sir, “He who tells a lie is not sensible of how great a risk he undertakes; for he must be forced to invent twenty more to maintain that one.”

In this entire dilemma, the Chairwoman of GECOM stands at the center, a woman of justice who has shown to be steadfast in her ways with the CEO and has shown to be a woman of many chances.

Madam Chair, we are of the view that once there is no stay of the judgment like that which was granted by the Court of Appeal in the David v. GECOM et al case or an injunction stopping GECOM from acting like in the Order issues by the CCJ in the case of Jagdeo, Ali v David et al, GECOM can still proceed. Therefore, The New Movement calls on the Chairwoman of GECOM to convene a meeting with the commissioners with the sole agenda to carry out Article 161A (1) upon your rouge employee, the Chief Election Officer, Mr. Keith Lowenfield.

We ask that you seek out a new, impartial individual over the next few days since we are of the opinion that the Deputy CEO has shown to be partisan as well.

The citizens of this nation want to move on and move forward with their lives. The courts have summarized that these matters to be res judicata meaning that matters that has been adjudicated by a competent court and therefore may not be pursued further by the same parties and further any other new parties. The recount figures are there to be solely used and this proves the will of the people with a president elect.

Let us not lose hope Guyana and let us continue to be our brother’s and sister’s keeper. Keep the peace for our democracy will be restored and our nation will rise to the heavens. To the youths of this nation and those in the Diaspora, be innovative and be creative in these times, don’t let this crisis dishearten you from our rich, beautiful home. To the elders, you’re young at heart and your experience is much needed in these times, lead by example and continue the good fight.

Godbless Guyana.

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LJP to Granger: Stop torturing this nation, end this charade

July 21, 2020

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See full statement issued by the Liberty and Justice Party headed by Lenox Shuman 

The Liberty and Justice Party welcomes the ruling of Madam Chief Justice Roxanne George in relation to the matter of elections 2020. In her ruling, Madam Chief Justice was pellucid that the matters brought before the court were already ruled upon (res Judicata), that the case was ill-conceived, that the 10 declarations were thrown out and that the recount numbers must be used to declare the next Governing Administration.

The ruling by the High Court is reflective of every stillbirth argument presented by the PNC (APNU/AFC) in trying to convince their supporters, the Guyanese people and the international community that they were victorious at the 2 March 2020 polls.

The LJP continues to commend the Chair of the GECOM for her patience and leadership of the commission in giving the aggrieved parties the opportunity to ventilate, to wits end, all matters that trouble their hearts.

While we know that Madam Chair is cautious, gives due consideration to all matters filed before the courts and extends the utmost courtesy to the aggrieved PNC and their supporters, we are hopeful that a long-overdue courtesy can be given to the nation that awaits the conclusion of the elections and delays no further in recognising the right of every Guyanese by ensuring that the sovereignty enshrined in Article 9 of the Constitution is respected.

Considering that the Caribbean Court of Justice and Madam 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 PNC that we are hopeful will levy further sanctions on the perpetrators that continue to torture this nation through this process.

That Mr 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.

We call on Mr Granger to stop lying to his supporters, stop torturing this nation, call off his dogs of war and end this charade. We also call on Madam Chair to see through the PNC’s continued attempts to derail the conclusion of these elections and take decisive steps to show her mettle and end this torture.

The world knows the PPP won. Let’s get on with it!

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Trouble Coalition facing is because of efforts to subvert will of the people – PPP/C

July 18, 2020

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The People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) says that the trouble the caretaker APNU/AFC Coalition is now facing from the international community is because of its deliberate efforts to subvert the will of the Guyanese people.

As such, the party called out the David Granger-led regime on its recent lies to link the recent visa restrictions imposed by the United States to the administration’s refusal to requests by the US to relay the Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasts to Venezuela.

See below for PPP/C’s full statement today:

David Granger and his rigging cabal have launched yet another wave of lies to deceive Guyanese. In this latest attempt the Guyana Chronicle, in an article under the caption ‘Guyana refuses US request to facilitate radio broadcasts to Venezuela’, tried to link these sanctions to Granger’s refusal to grant permission to the U.S to relay the Voice of America (VOA) radio broadcasts to Venezuela. This is a blatant lie.

The world knows that these sanctions were long in the making and the reasons for their imposition. These sanctions were imposed because of the rigging cabal’s trampling upon the rule of law, their flagrant violations of the Constitution of Guyana, and their repeated attempts to corrupt the results of the March 2nd General and Regional Elections, by various fraudulent endeavours, all designed to defeat the will of the people. This much was made clear by both Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and the United States Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch.

The entire world has condemned their fraud and called for the use of the figures generated from the CARICOM scrutinized recount process, this includes the UK, Canada, EU, OAS, CARICOM and the Commonwealth; did they request to relay radio broadcasts?

Even Justice Saunders in reading out the summary of the judgment of the CCJ couldn’t be clearer when he stated, “Unless and until an election court decides otherwise the votes already counted by the recount process as valid votes are incapable of being declared invalid by any person or authority”.

Mr. Granger needs to be reminded that the trouble his government is encountering is directly linked to their efforts to subvert the will of the Guyanese electorate who have clearly spoken on March 2 by electing the PPP/C as the new government.

Further, the Rigging Cabal is now brazenly attempting to ensnare the judiciary in their fraudulent network to steal the next Government. Their approach to the Court is simply for the Court to order GECOM to use the fraudulent report of disgraced Chief Election Officer Keith Lowenfield which includes more than fifteen thousand (15000) votes that were not even cast on March 2nd. The law will never countenance such fraud and dishonesty.

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GCCI writes Top Cop about possible destabilisation of security situation

July 16, 2020

gcci

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has written Top Cop Leslie James, expressing concerns about the possibility of “a destabilisation in the security situation” as the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) makes its final Declaration of the results of the March 2 Regional and General Elections.

See full letter dispatched to the Police Commissioner Leslie James on July 13:

Dear Commissioner James,

RE: Concerns emanating from the Private Sector

On behalf of the Council and Executives of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI), I trust that this message reaches you in good stead during this global pandemic.

The Chamber has been monitoring closely the public health and electoral situation in our country. In addition, the GCCI is also concerned with possibly of a destabilization in the security situation as the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) makes its final Declaration of the results of the March 2 Regional and General Elections. These two situations can combine to have disastrous results on the security and well-being of our society.

In particular, we are concerned about the large gatherings which are assembling on Main Street, in the perimeters of the GECOM and the State House. Notably, a situation on July 13, 2020 saw persons gathered closely together in large groups, one person lying in front of the Presidential convoy in an obstructive manner, non-adherence to public health precautions, amongst many other actions which are dangerous to both public health and potentially threatening to the well-being of citizenry of Guyana.

Commissioner, we would like to request, of your good audience, the measures which are being taken to handle these crowds which are now becoming more consistent, as well as the plan by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) to deal with a situation of potential de-escalation. In this regard, I shall be grateful for your kind consideration of my request.

Please accept, Commissioner James, my best regards.

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Ballot Box Martyrs’ sacrifices still relevant today – PPP

July 16, 2020

Members of the PPP C giving their final campaign speech at Lusignan

See full statement from the PPP/C on the Anniversary of the Ballot Box Martyrs 

Today (July 16, 2020), marks the 47th death anniversary of two sons of Guyana – Jagan Ramessar and Bholanauth Parmanand – the ‘Ballot Box Martyrs’ who lost their lives in the struggle to ensure that democracy is not thwarted and the will of the Guyanese people is not subverted.

On Election Day, July 16, 1973, Bholanauth and Ramessar were part of a crowd that had gathered outside a polling station at No. 63 Village on the Corentyne as part of a protest action. They were peacefully protesting the illegal removal of the ballot boxes from the place of poll at the end of voting. Bholanauth and Ramessar were shot and killed by a Guyana Defence Force Officer. This was during an era when the oppressive and authoritarian People’s National Congress’ (PNC) regime was brazenly rigging elections to stay in office.

The 1973 incident was of the many struggles to restore democracy to Guyana. These martyrs, by their sacrifice, helped to shaped our political struggle that led to free and fair elections in 1992.

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) notes that the sacrifices of those two courageous and young heroes have strengthened the resolve of Guyanese during the painful and arduous struggles for democracy and remain a reminder of the work needed to preserve our hard-won gains. Such a reminder comes at a time when the PNC, disguised as APNU+AFC Coalition, shamelessly persists with its effort to hold on to power, despite the expressed will of the majority of Guyanese, clearly evidenced in the results of the national recount.

In honoring the memories of the ‘Ballot Box Martyrs’, particularly at this important juncture of our history, the PPP takes this opportunity to reiterate that it will not relent in its stance against the perpetuation of undemocratic actions.

That said, the lesson of years past – that democracy will prevail – will hopefully resound in the halls of the ‘coup plotters’ who are, today, bent on taking Guyana backward via their efforts to thwart the democratic process and subvert the will of the people.

July 16, 2020

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GMSA calls for end to ongoing political crisis and transition to new Government 

Jul 15, 2020

gmsa

See below full statement issued by the Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association Ltd:

It is more than four months since the March 2nd 2020 elections and a democratically elected Government is still not in place. Despite undertakings and commitments to respect the results of the Recount Process conducted by GECOM and overseen by CARICOM and other observers, attempts continue to thwart the declaration of the winner of the March 2020 elections.

The political impasse, the absence of a functional Government, the COVID 19 pandemic and the lack of a coherent and comprehensive response, have made it difficult for businesses to operate.

As a result, many have closed, resulting in losses of jobs and income for Guyanese. A continuation of this current situation will have disastrous consequences on the business community and the economy.

The GMSA joins the Private Sector Commission and other private sector organisations, civil society, other local organisations and groups and the international community in calling for a swift conclusion to this political impasse, the declaration of the results based on the Recount Process, and the transition to a new Government reflective of the will of the Guyanese people.

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Granger in charge and intellectual author of conspiracy to rig election – PPP

July 15, 2020

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See full statement: 

The Statement issued by the Government of Guyana, in response to the decision by the United States Department of State, is classic David Granger at work. Guyanese are well aware of the deceptive strategy of Granger, that is to say, remaining in the background and orchestrating his minions, including Ministers of his Government, candidates and leaders of his political party, his Commissioners at GECOM and even his party supporters, to front his unconstitutional, undemocratic, illegal and sinister political agenda, and when they are exposed, he appears in the public with a glib denial of any wrongdoing and repeats his sanctimonious pledge to obey the Constitution, to adhere to the rule of law, to comply with Court rulings and to promise non-interference with the operation at GECOM.

This is exactly the approach reflected in the Government’s Statement issued today. The Statement denies that the Coalition Government is undermining the electoral process and urges all “to await the logical conclusion of it, which is being managed by the Elections Commission, in accordance with the Constitution of Guyana”. Guyana, the Caribbean and indeed, the Western Hemisphere can bear testimony, first hand, to Granger and his Government’s multiple, transparent and vulgar attempts at undermining the electoral process and interfering with GECOM in the discharge of its mandate in conducting elections and declaring the legal results of those elections.

Only yesterday one of his minions filed legal proceedings seeking Orders from the High Court to compel GECOM to declare perverted results of the elections, so that Granger can steal the next Government. No doubt, Mr. Granger is the intellectual author and is in charge of the conspiracy to rig the March 2nd 2020 Election. Not once has he condemned the naked fraud attempted by Clairmont Mingo and Keith Lowenfield. In fact, he and his Ministers have all embraced them and they still do. Every one of his Ministers are on record, in Guyana and overseas, canvassing support for their blatant attempts to corrupt the electoral process and defending those who are directly carrying out this illicit design. These Ministers include Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, Joseph Harmon, Raphael Trotman, Cathy Hughes, Khemraj Ramjattan and others. They have all hurled vitriolic abuses at every person and organisation, locally, regionally and internationally, who dared to criticize their conduct.

These sanctions were long intimated. Granger and his Cabal mocked those who spoke of them. Now that the sanctions have finally come, he sanctimoniously pleads his and his Government’s innocence. Everyone acquainted with the facts would agree that the sanctions are justified, in the circumstances.

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Private Sector urges Granger to concede defeat, tell his supporters “the truth”

July 15, 2020

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See full statement from the Private Sector Commission 

The Private Sector Commission (PSC) served as an Accredited Observer along with other Accredited Local Observer Groups and Organizations, the International Diplomatic Community, representing the ABC&E countries and the International Observers, with the exception of the Carter Center who were denied entry into Guyana by the Coalition Government.

The Private Sector Commission fielded Observers throughout the entire period of the Recount, at every Work Station, all day, every day.

The Private Sector Commission, while recognizing minor administrative difficulties, found the process of the Recount to have been efficiently conducted and authentic.

The Private Sector Commission noted, as did the CARICOM Report, the frequently aggressive, and, at times, obnoxious, if not bizarre, behavior by Agents representing APNU+AFC at the various Work Stations, but, who, nevertheless, were unable to document any material complaints to question the process.

The Private Sector Commission, as did all of the National and International Observers, found the Recount results to be valid and entirely credible.

The Private Sector Commission was pleased to endorse, without reservation, the observation of the CARICOM Scrutineers, that “the objections raised by the APNU+AFC” were not “materially relevant to the recount of the ballot” and that there was “no evidence as to who were the ultimate beneficiaries of the alleged ‘ghost voting’ and voter impersonation”.

The Private Sector Commission, in all of these circumstances, has no hesitation in demanding of GECOM, to proceed to make a declaration using the recounted results of the General and Regional Elections as soon as is practical and expect David Granger to tell his supporters the truth and to concede.

We also would like to extend deep appreciation to CARICOM, the OAS, the European Union and the Commonwealth, the Carter Center and to the ABCE countries that join us in this struggle to preserve and protect democracy and the rule of law in Guyana.

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Granger’s Gov’t says ‘regrets’ visa sanctions

Jul 15, 2020

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See full statement from the Government of Guyana:

Gov’t regrets decision by US Department of State

Georgetown, Guyana (July 15, 2020):

The Executive arm of Government regrets the decision taken by the United States Department of State.

The matter affecting the outcome of Guyana’s elections is still before courts, which is entirely the responsibility of the judiciary. No declaration has been made.

The Executive Branch has not participated in the undermining of the electoral process and urges all countries interested in Guyana’s development to await the logical conclusion of the process which is being managed by the Elections Commission, in accordance with the Constitution of Guyana.

The Executive arm has not interfered in the functioning of the Elections Commission.

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President’s office rebuffs report that plan being hatched to remove GECOM Chairman

Jul 14, 2020

the-ministry-of-the-presidency

See below full statement issued by the Ministry of the Presidency

Georgetown, Guyana (July 14, 2020): The Ministry of the Presidency rejects outrightly the wicked and highly outrageous statement issued to the media by Mr. Anil Nandlall captioned, “The sanctimonious gangster on the prowl… and the clinical insanity continues…” and which accuses President David Granger of hatching a plan to remove Chairman of the Elections Commission, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh from the helm of the Commission.

Mr. Nandlall’s accusations are dishonest, malevolent, and dangerous and based on spurious and unsubstantiated fiction.

This statement is clearly aimed at creating panic and confusion amongst the citizenry.  The Ministry, therefore, calls on every right-thinking Guyanese to reject this statement and to condemn Mr. Nandlall for his attempt to instigate fear and confusion in the country.

President Granger has repeatedly said and demonstrated that he respects the integrity and autonomy of the Elections Commission and that he would abide by any declaration that the Chairman makes in keeping with the laws of Guyana.

The Ministry of the Presidency calls on Mr. Nandlall to retract his baseless and irresponsible assertions.

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GECOM has a duty to dismiss Lowenfield forthwith for his fraudulent conduct – PPP

July 11, 2020

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See full statement from the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C)

In what may possibly be his final fraudulent act, Keith Lowenfield has presented another perverse Report to the Guyana Election Commission, this time using Clairmont Mingo’s fictitious results for Electoral District number four (4). This is exactly what the Rigging Cabal has been calling for since Mingo made his fraudulent declarations on March 5th and March 13th, 2020.

The Rigging Cabal, including the Government’s three (3) Commissioners at GECOM, are now shamelessly arguing that the Caribbean Court of Justice in its Judgment in the Eslyn David case, invalidated the Recount Order and the Recount Process. Of course, the Judgment contains no such pronouncement. In fact, the Court thoroughly examined the Recount Order and endorsed the Recount Process, making it clear throughout the Judgment that it is the results produced by the Recount Process that must be used by the Chief Elections Officer. The only Orders granted by the Caribbean Court of Justice are as follows:

“ (a) Special leave is granted to the Applicants to appeal the decision of the Court of Appeal dated 22 June 2020;

(b) The Appeal of the Appellant is allowed; and

(c) The said decision of the Court Of Appeal was made without jurisdiction, is invalid and of no effect.
The Court declares that the report of the Chief Elections Officer of 23 June 2020 is similarly of no effect.”

Therefore, only a demented mind can interpret the Caribbean Court of Justice’s ruling as invalidating the National Recount Process.

Lowenfield’s conduct not only amounts to gross insubordination and an egregious dereliction of his duty but his report constitutes intentional fraud in that he included numbers which he knows to be fraudulent and fictitious. For example, he tabulated the ten (10) Certificates of Recount and submitted in a previous Report to the Commission 460,352 as the total valid votes cast and in the fraudulent Report now submitted to the Commission, he states that the total number of valid votes is 479,118, a difference of nearly twenty thousand votes, and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Article 162(1)(b) of the Constitution adequately empowers the Commission to, “issue such instructions and take such actions as appear to it necessary or expedient to ensure impartiality, fairness and compliance with the provision of this Constitution or any Act of Parliament on the part of persons exercising powers or performing duties connected with” the Electoral Process. Further, Article 161 (a) provides, “the Elections Commission shall be responsible for the efficient functioning of the Secretariat of the Commission, which shall comprise the officers and employees of the Commission, and for the appointment of all the staff to the offices thereof inclusive of all temporary staff, recruited for the purposes of boundary demarcation, registrations of persons and elections and shall have the power to remove and to exercise disciplinary control over such staff.”
The Representation of the People Act defines an Election Officer as:

“ (a) the Chief Election Officer,
(b) the Deputy Chief Election Officer
(c) a returning officer;
(d) a deputy returning officer;
(e) an election clerk;
(f) a presiding officer;
(g) a poll clerk;”

Therefore, GECOM has a constitutional mandate and duty to dismiss Lowenfield forthwith, for his fraudulent conduct, his dereliction from duty and his vile insubordination and to immediately appoint another Chief Elections Officer to carry out its directions contained in its various letters to Lowenfield.

Our information is that the Rigging Cabal is actively Judge shopping in their efforts to get some form of judicial assistance to execute their illegal, fraudulent design to defeat the will of the Electorate and steal the next Government. No Court can direct the Commission on how to perform its functions nor can usurp the functions of the Commission, once the Commission acts intra vires its constitutional mandate. We call upon the Judiciary not to allow its processes to be abused and manipulated to perpetrate a fraud upon the Guyanese Electorate. The highest Court in our Judiciary has pronounced on this matter and concluded its Judgment with the following words, “Now the law must run its course.”

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Granger need not feel hurt, should congratulate Ali on victory – GCCI

July 11, 2020

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See full statement from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI): 

In every Presidential contest there is unfortunately only one winner. This Election cycle, given the tally of Valid Votes Cast during our General and Regional Elections 2020 (GRE) that winner will be Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali. Dr. Ali will be taking up the mantle of leadership from President Granger, who has astutely led our Nation over the past few years but unfortunately has placed second in the vote tally as recorded at the National Recount exercise.

President Granger need not feel hurt, Winston Churchill delivered a massive war time victory to England, but the British voters in 1945 elected Clement Attlee as Prime Minister. Churchill is reported to have said in response, “I thank the British people for the many kindnesses shown towards their servant.”

As a Statesman it would be a good sign for our Nation, and for our Future Generations to see the first official round of Congratulation for Dr. Ali to come now from President Granger, even without the formal declaration. It shows patriotism and the spirit of unity defined by our National Motto, One People One Nation One Destiny.

When George Bush lost to Bill Clinton in the USA’s 1992 Presidential Election, he conceded with these words, “I remain absolutely convinced that we are a rising nation. We have been in an extraordinarily difficult period, but do not be deterred, kept away from public service by the smoke and fire of a campaign year or the ugliness of politics. As for me, I’m going to serve and try to find ways to help people.” This could also be said of our country, especially at this juncture in its history.

As a major opposition in the Parliament, we expect the APNU+AFC to continue the fight, ensuring honesty, integrity and decency for the citizens in all the goings on of Governing the country and holding the PPP/C accountable to delivering on campaign promises.

In the end, however we expect unity, unity on major National Issues such as our border controversy with Venezuela and unity with regards to the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. We expect unity in knowing that four months later after E-Day, it is time for the Nation to move on and get on with the business of implementing policies that benefit the Guyanese people and that all starts with the outgoing President Granger’s congratulation of Dr. Irfaan Ali now.

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Change Guyana calls for Lowenfield to be removed from electoral process

July 11, 2020

Change Guyana Executive Nigel Hinds speaking to the media

Responsibility and authority of Justice Claudette Singh, SC, CCH

The letter dated July 10, 2010 from Mr. Keith Lowenfield, Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission to the first female Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission, trampled on the authority of Justice Claudette Singh, with the utmost disdain and disrespect in this unending nightmare, stemming from Guyana’s General and Regional Elections held on March 2, 2020.

Mr. Lowenfield’s rambling letter, filled with a tangle of meaningless legal references was dismissed by the Chairperson within hours, as she reinstated her request by letter, for the certified recount numbers to be presented by 11:00 AM, on Saturday, July 11, 2010.

Lowenfield will not comply with the recount request and the Chairperson should be ready to use the legal powers vested in her office to ensure a declaration is made within three days, without any input from Lowenfield or his acolytes.

We of the Change Guyana Party have long held the opinion that Mr. Lowenfield should play no further part in the declaration process. It is futile to believe that the man who embraced the fraudulent numbers of Mingo, not once but twice, then used his unique and mystical math formulas to disenfranchise over one hundred thousand Guyanese on two occasions will suddenly drop his prejudice.

Thus, it is no surprise that Mr. Lowenfield has now brought the democratic underpinnings of the nation to a standstill; by his absurd and outrageous request for “guidance” to prepare a report that he has already presented in the form of a certified recount of all ten regions to the Guyana Election Commissioners.

There is only one solution: Justice Claudette Singh, SC, CCH, must use the powers vested in her as Chairperson of GECOM and use the fastest legal mechanism possible, without the involvement Lowenfield or his conniving aides, and put in place, a process that will allow for an official declaration of the winner of Guyana’s March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

Nigel Hinds

Chairman

Change Guyana Party

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Fire Lowenfield if he fails again to comply with instructions – TNM

July 11, 2020

asha

See full statement from The New Movement Party issued on July 10

Guyanese and the International community have witnessed yet another vile attempt to derail the
declaration of the winner of the General and Regional Election (GRE) today, June 10th, 2020.

This, we will say, does not sit well with the members of The New Movement and definitely not with the people of Guyana who we represent.

Today marks the one hundred and thirtieth (130th) day since the people all across Guyana went out to exercise their democratic right. Within this one hundred and thirty (130) days period, much twiddling and unceremonious fondling of the law has occurred via the incumbent government’s members and even Guyana Election Commission’s (GECOM) employee, Mr. Lowenfield. Just this week on June 8th, 2020, the highest court of the land, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), came to a united decision and handed down specific order that related to the GRE2020.

The specific court orders discredit and nullify the Court of Appeal’s (CoA) ruling and also discredit and nullify Mr. Lowenfield’s report he had promptly submitted on June 23rd, 2020 following the CoA’s orders.

Mr. Lowenfield has acted Ultra Vires on numerous occasions and has done so once again today, June 10th, 2020 after he was written to with specific instruction from his employer, GECOM on June 9th, 2020. His very actions has held an entire nation at ransom and snatched the people’s democratic freedom. Mr. Lowenfield has been noted to peddle an erroneous statement in June 2020 saying that he is not bounded by the directives of GECOM but has stated publically in 2019 that it was GECOM who by constitutional order, instructs him. Madam Justice Singh, I know you know the laws of Guyana well but I would like to point out to you section 161A (1) of the Constitution which states, ‘The Election commission shall be responsible for the efficient functioning of the Secretariat of the Commission, which shall comprise the officer and the employees of the Commission….and shall have the power to remove and the exercise disciplinary control over such staff.”

Based on the above citation, Madam Chairwoman, we are asking you, as children of Guyana who want what’s best for this land and her people, to discharge/fire Mr. Keith Lowenfield, CEO of GECOM, tomorrow if he fails to comply with the directives set out in your letter dated July 9th, 2020 and the follow up letter dated July 10th, 2020. To further cement my request, we would like you to note one of the founding members of our political organization has filed private criminal charges (Fraud and Misconduct) against Mr. Lowenfield who seems to have been avoiding the summons of the magistrate court.

To the Guyanese people, we have all suffered at the hands of one man Mr. Lowenfield and we
are pleading our case before GECOM. An entire nation is suffering because one man continues
to misconduct himself in high office on multiple occasions. His blatant disrespect has tested our patience but we will not continue to have GECOM let one of their main staff go rouge anymore.

We will reiterate that we firmly believe GECOM needs to act and take stern steps to curb his
malicious actions by simply discharging him of his duties. Please act for the people of Guyana,
in all justice and fairness. We have had enough.

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Terminate the services of Lowenfield and declare the results – URP

July 11, 2020

bandhu

See full statement from the URP 

Terminate the services of Lowenfield and declare the results

The leader of the United Republican Party (URP) Dr. Vishnu Bandhu is calling on Justice (Retired) Claudette Singh, Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to get stern with the persistent insolence of the Chief Election Officer (CEO) Mr. Keith Lowenfield and draw on the relevant clauses at her disposal to terminate the services of an individual who continues to hold back the socio, economic, and political fortitude of an entire nation.

Dr. Bandhu’s comments came after the CEO once again did not deliver the results of the elections as instructed Ms. Singh. Mr. Lowenfield who was instructed to submit a report by 2pm on July 10,2020 of the “valid votes counted in the National Recount as per the Certificates of Recount informed Singh that prior to the preparation and submission of the report, “some clarifications are imperative… to safeguard against any action deemed unilateral.”

Bandhu emphasized that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruling was clear and the Chair needs to act accordingly if her instruction continues to be disobeyed.

Dr. Vishnu Bandhu

Leader of the United Republican Party

(URP)

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TCI calls for Lowenfield to be removed or disciplined for his insubordination

July 11, 2020

tci

See full statement from The Citizenship Initiative released on July 10

The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) lauds the effort of Madame Chair Justice Claudette Singh, rtd. today to move Guyana’s election process swiftly along to its conclusion. We note with concern however, that it now appears that the Chief Election Officer is unsure of how to comply with clear directives received from the head of the Commission. This position has forced The Chair to now reissue her request a third time. TCI is of the opinion, that with previous elections experience under his belt, the CEO is more than aware of how his job should be done. In light of this background, the CEO’s action can possibly be construed as insubordinate action against Madame Chair.

We posit that Guyana’s constitution in article 161A (1) gives the Elections Commission responsibility for the efficient functioning of the Secretariat, and appointment of its officers. The Commission therefore has the power to remove and to exercise disciplinary control over such staff.  Section 18 of the Election Laws Act No 15 of 2000 stipulates that the CEO is subject to the direction and control of the Commission.

TCI proposes that should CEO Lowenfield appear to continue to be reluctant or perhaps even appear unable to efficiently complete his duties as per deadline issued, that Madame Chair exercises disciplinary control as the case may warrant. TCI respectfully requests this action from the Commission, for efficient functioning  of the Secretariat and so that its work may be completed in a timely manner.

We are now operating on a limited budget during a pandemic and our people require assistance that only a legally elected government can offer assistance to them. It is time to bring the curtains down on a protracted electoral process in order for the country to move on.

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Lowenfield should be removed if he fails to comply with instructions – LJP

July 11, 2020

ljp

See full statement issued by the Liberty and Justice Party on July 10

The circus that has become known as Elections 2020 has produced yet another act today.

In spite of clear and definitive instructions form the Chair of the GECOM, Justice Claudette Singh, the Chief Election Officer, Kieth Lowenfield, requested clarity in what could only be described as a disingenuous attempt to disobey the instructions aforesaid.

The cheerful readiness with which he attended the preparation of a similar report after the Court of Appeal’s ruling, in which he disenfranchised in excess of 115,000 legitimate voters must be cause for excessive concern to the nation.

The prior occasion on which Mr Lowenfield readily prepared a report using Mingo’s fraudulent numbers shares a similar thread in that it deliberately attempts to  thwart the will of the electorate by awarding a victory to the APNU+AFC which has clearly lost the elections by over 24 000 votes.

In this regard, we call on Madam  Chair and the Commissioners of the Guyana Elections Commission to ensure strict compliance by Lowenfield with its instructions, and in the absence thereof, to take stern disciplinary actions, up to and including his removal from office as previously advocated for by the LJP.

The will of the people must be respected and reflected by a declaration using the figures generated from the recount exercise.

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Basil Williams inciting Lowenfield to violate law – PPP

July 10, 2020

pppc

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP), in a statement this morning, said that Attorney General, Basil Williams is attempting to incite Chief Elections Officer, Keith Lowenfield to violate the law once again.

This accusation comes hours before CEO Lowenfield is expected to produce his final election report to Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Retired Justice Claudette Singh.

Justice Singh wrote to Lowenfield, on Thursday, requesting that he submit his final report, using the numbers emanating from the nation recount that was certified valid as per the Certificates of Recount, to the Commission no later than 14:00h (2pm).

See full PPP statement below:
It is an established fact that Attorney General Basil Williams has not won a singular case of worth over the past 5 years. Indeed, many are of the view that the innumerable violations of the Constitution and the rule of law committed by the Coalition Government have been caused by or are a reflection of the type and quality of legal advice the Government receives from the Attorney General. Fresh in the nation’s memory is Williams’ forays in the press almost every day over the past week before Wednesday July 8, 2020, bellowing that the CCJ has no jurisdiction to hear and determine the appeal filed in the Eslyn David matter. As many would have noticed that he switched off his camera when the CCJ delivered its judgment as they tumbled his arguments, one after the other, upside down. Just a day after that ruling he again shamelessly misinterprets and misapplies the law in his purported legal advice to Keith Lowenfield hours after he was directed by the Guyana Elections Commission to prepare the statutory Report using the total votes as per the Certificates of Recount.

Williams does this in spite of the CCJ’s ruling which previously declared the CEO’s unilateral acts invalidating votes to be in violation of the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, the CCJ stating as follows:

[47] By the unnecessary insertion of the word “valid”, the Court of Appeal impliedly invited the CEO to engage, unilaterally, in a further and unlawful validation exercise unknown to and in clear tension with the existing, constitutionally anchored electoral laws. That further exercise, which the CEO was quick to embrace in breach of the Court of Appeal Stay of proceedings, also had the effect of facilitating a serious trespass on the exclusive jurisdiction of the High Court established by Article 163…

William’s clear intent is to attempt, once again, to incite and invite the Chief Election Officer to violate the law and commit another perversity.

Williams’ conduct amounts to a clear defiance of and contempt for the many pronouncements that the Caribbean Court of Justice made only yesterday on identical issues. Needless to say, Williams’ conduct will be drawn to the Court’s attention for its action. Even at this late hour, Williams is still to comprehend that GECOM is an autonomous constitutional institution insulated from political directions and influences of any type. His untutored advice is therefore constitutionally prohibited.

Moreover, he has completely misunderstood and misinterpreted the legal relationship between the CEO and GECOM. This relationship is not a matter for speculation but explicitly set out in the law.

Article 162 (1)(b) of the Constitution states that the Elections Commission:

(a) shall exercise general direction and supervision over the registration of electors and the administrative conduct of all elections of members of the National Assembly; and

(b) shall issue such instructions and take such action as appear to it necessary or expedient to ensure impartiality, fairness and compliance with the provisions of this Constitution or of any Act of Parliament on the part of persons exercising powers or performing duties connected with or relating to the matters aforesaid.

Consistent with 162(1)(a) and 162(1)(b), Section 18 of the Elections Law (Amendment) Act 2000 states:

The Chief Election Officer and the Commission of Registration shall notwithstanding anything in any written law be subject to the direction and control of the Commission.

Additionally, Order 60/2020 states in pertinent part as follows:

  1. For the avoidance of any doubt, the Chief Election Officer and every person appointed or authorized to perform any act or functions by virtue of this Order, are and shall remain subject to the general supervisory power of the Commission.

With the exception of Williams, it must be clear to every reader that the cumulative effect of Article 162(1)(b), Section 18 of the Elections Law (Amendment) Act 2000, and the provisions of Order 60/2020 is that the CEO is subject to the direction and control the Commission and enjoys no “independence” vis a vis the Commission. Therefore, Williams’ contention that Lowenfield can prepare a report of his own liking and not in accordance with the directions of GECOM is absolutely wrong. Under the Representation of the People Act and where there is there is no recount the CEO is always mandated by GECOM and bound to prepare his report based on the declarations of the ten returning officers. Those declarations have been now replaced by the certificates of recount under Order 60/2020. Likewise, Lowenfield is bound to prepare his report based on those certificates and nothing else. Indeed, that is what he was directed to do by the Commission in its letter dated June 16, 2020. This direction has been reiterated in today’s letter. On multiple occasions throughout its judgment, the CCJ emphasised that the CEO cannot unilaterally prepare a report of his own but must at all times prepare the report in accordance with Section 96 of the Representation of the People Act, that is to say, based upon the total votes counted.

For the avoidance of doubt and to clear up any confusion that the William’s may have caused, we refer to the following paragraphs of the Court’s judgment which dismissed Eslyn David’s application to restrain the CEO from complying with the direction of the GECOM Chair, and declared his previous report to have no effect.

[45] Validity in this context means, and could only mean, those votes that, ex facie, are valid. The determination of such validity is a transparent exercise that weeds out of the process, for example, spoilt or rejected ballots.48 This is an exercise conducted in the presence of, inter alia, the duly appointed candidates and counting agents of contesting parties. It is after such invalid votes are weeded out that the remaining “valid votes” count towards a determination of not only the members of the National Assembly but, incidentally as well, the various listed Presidential candidates. If the integrity of a ballot, or the manner in which a vote was procured, is questioned beyond this validation exercise, say because of some fundamental irregularity such as those alleged by Mr Harmon, then that would be a matter that must be pursued through Article 163 after the elections have been concluded.

[46] At the point in the electoral process where Article 177(2)(b) is reached, there is no further need to reference “valid votes” because, subject to Article 163 (which is triggered by election petition after the election), the relevant validation process has already been completed. It was therefore unnecessary for the Court of Appeal majority to qualify “votes” in Article 177(2)(b) by inserting before it the adjective “valid” and, in any event, they were wrong to do so. Article 177(2)(b) rightly only needed to reference “more votes” and there was no basis for the Court of Appeal to assume jurisdiction to interpret that provision. It is clear that, under the legal infrastructure governing the electoral process, unless and until an election court decides otherwise, the votes already counted as valid votes are incapable of being declared invalid by any person or authority…

[47] … The idea that the CEO or GECOM could, in an unaccountable, non-transparent and seemingly arbitrary manner, without the due processes and the legal standards established in Article 163 and in the Validation Act, disenfranchise scores of thousands of electors is entirely inconsistent with the constitutional framework. Whatever allegations of irregularity attended those votes (and we neither agree nor disagree as to the existence of such irregularities) must be adjudged by the High Court under Article 163 as was correctly stated by the Chairperson of GECOM.

In the circumstances we call for the immediate compliance with the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act and judgement of the Caribbean Court of Justice, as well as the rejection of the puerile and erroneous advice/opinion of Basil Williams.

People’ Progressive Party

Friday July10th, 2020

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GECOM Chair rebuffs purported recorded conversation

July 10, 2020

singh

GECOM Chair  Claudette Singh today repudiated what purports to be a recording between her and a staff member.

A statement by the Chair follows:

10 July 2020, GEORGETOWN – It has been brought to my attention that there is in circulation a purported recorded conversation between myself and GECOM’s Information Technology Manager, Mr. Aneal Giddings along with several allegations of a plan to manipulate systems to ensure a certain party is declared the winner of the

March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections.

In this regard, I wish to emphatically state that I do not have knowledge of any such conversation nor am I involved in any plot to ensure any particular party is declared the winner of the 2020 elections. There has been a transparent process to count the votes and the legal process has taken its course. There is absolutely no need for manipulation.

The circulation of such recording and peddling of those allegations are designed to create mischief in an already tensed and charged political environment. Those responsible for such unlawful actions are urged to desist from doing so immediately to ensure an environment of trust, peace and stability.

Justice Claudette Singh SC, CCH

Justice of Appeal (Retd)

Chairperson

Guyana Elections Commission

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A scurrilous attack aimed at undermining Board of Trustees of CCJ Trust Fund

July 8, 2020

ramesh-dookhoo

Dear Editor,

An erroneous piece of ‘news’ was circulated on various social media platforms recently accusing me of seeking to exert influence over the CCJ ruling by virtue of being a member on the Board of Trustees of the Caribbean Court of Justice’s Trust Fund.

As I usually do as the Private Sector liaison on COVID-19 I contacted Larry London, Egbert Field and a few others regarding a Roraima Airways flight to facilitate the return to Trinidad of two Trinidadian Nationals. I have done this many times before.

I communicated on the Cruise ship Guyanese after I was contacted by the Cruise ship company and other such repatriations.

Approval was granted by those named officials. I was not on the flight. In fact, I spent a quiet week end at home in D’Aguiar’s Park where I reside. The incessant rain caused my round of Golf to be cancelled on Sunday.

I have noted that my home is being observed as a few weeks ago I had a gathering of a few friends which was published on Facebook as a gathering ‘to destabilize GECOM’.

All my guests left after that post and whoever is trying to inflict hurt is succeeding, congratulations!

By the way the gathering was to discuss some stranded Guyanese and how we can assist them financially to return to Guyana.

The Caribbean Court of Justice Trust Fund was set up in order that the Court itself can never be compromised. I consider it an honour and a privilege to sit as a Trustee on this Board. The rest of the Board consist of members of various Caribbean institutions whose integrity and distinction I do not wish to compromise at this time with this ‘news’ item.

I have brought the ‘news’ item to the attention of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees with an offer of my resignation. Congratulations to the author of the ‘news’ item you are succeeding.

The representatives of the institutions that make up the Board of Trustees are highly esteemed and respected professionals across the Caribbean, it is ludicrous to even accuse one of its representatives of having some kind of influence on the CCJ judges.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the management and administration of the Trust Fund and none of its members have or would dare attempt to exercise any kind of influence over the CCJ’s judges.

Further, the judges of the CCJ are professionals of the highest integrity and professionalism all of whom possess unblemished character.

I wish to publicly apologize to the Board of Trustees and the Judges of the CCJ for any damage this issue would have done to the Institutions.

I wish to reiterate that the contents of the post are utterly false and unsubstantiated and it is against due protocols in the spirit of natural justice and the functioning of the judicial system, to engage in attacks on the Court and its Officers especially when the case has not yet been ruled upon.

Further, I have no access much less the ability to influence the outcome.

I am a proud son of Guyana and I am ashamed at what our politics has degenerated to. I wish to thank all of the persons whose private messages sought to console and indeed all of those persons who sent threatening messages arising out of the ‘news’ item. You have all shown who you are.

I am unmoved but am ashamed of my countrymen whose interests I have served in many ways over many years.

Yours faithfully,

Ramesh Dookhoo MBA,

CRMA.

Hon Secretary Private Sector

Commission of Guyana.

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Bar Association deplores attacks on CCJ, attempts to interfere with justice

July 6, 2020

gba

The Bar Council of the Guyana Bar Association today condemned attacks on the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) and attempts to interfere with the administration of justice.

With the CCJ due to hand down an important decision in relation to Guyana’s elections on Wednesday, there have been stepped up attacks on it which have warned against a certain decision being made. The attempts to influence have gone as far as the publication of a full-page advertisement in the Trinidad Guardian newspaper.

A statement by the Bar Council follows:

STATEMENT BY THE BAR COUNCIL OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION OF GUYANA CALLING FOR RESPECT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

With legal proceedings presently engaging the attention of the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Council of the Bar Association has observed that parties on all sides of the pending litigation, including parties outside of the litigation have resorted to multiple forms of media to provide comments and information to advance their respective cases. This conduct is unreservedly condemned. Of even greater offence is the use of social media by members of the society to launch unnecessary, malicious and contemptuous attacks on sitting members of our Apex Court.

The Bar Council denounces and censures all conduct and actions regarding pending proceedings which:

(i)     are calculated to interfere with the administration of justice;

(ii)    are intended to prejudice the administration of justice;

(iii)    are made with the deliberate intention of interfering with the course of justice;

(iv)    are made carelessly or negligently without due regard for the integrity and processes associated with the pending proceedings;

(v)    create a serious risk that the course of justice may be interfered with;

(vi)   prejudge the matters in issue before the Court; and

(vii)   undermine public confidence in the Court and or administration of justice.

The course of justice and the administration of justice in legal proceedings are critical pillars on which the rule of law rests. The pillars of justice are intended to stand robustly after many of us are no longer of this earth, let not our conduct today cause harm to the administration of justice that it will take generations to remedy.

The Bar Council has taken notice of such aforesaid undesirable conduct in recent times. The continuous, pervasive and escalated actions observed in both Guyana and most recently by way of a full page advertisement in the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian of the 4th July, 2020, have made it necessary for the Bar Council to speak. We call on all to hold their voices, respect the processes of the administration of justice and thereby cease and desist your injurious conduct.

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PSC lauds Caricom for “protection, preservation” of Guyana’s democracy

July 6, 2020

psc

As Guyana observes the 47th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which established the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Private Sector Commission (PSC) has lauded the work of the regional bloc over the past months to help protect and preserve democracy in Guyana.

In its Caricom Day message, the PSC congratulated the 15 Member States on its anniversary. Guyana was among four founding nations that signed the treaty that gave birth to Caricom and the Common Market, renamed Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The Commission also extended congratulations to Secretary General of Caricom, Ambassador

Irwin LaRoque, “on his sterling work in organising and supporting the Caricom Observer Mission for the March 2, General Elections and the delegation of high-level observers to scrutinise the GECOM (Guyana Elections Commission) election recount.”
“We would like to particularly express our appreciation to the members of the high-level delegation for the personal sacrifice they made in the completion of the mission and submission of a comprehensive and conclusive report,” the PSC added.

Moreover, the Commission also registered its unreserved appreciation of and admiration for the “unstinted support and dedication” of Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who is the former Caricom Chair, and current Chairman, Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, as well as all the Caricom leaders “for the protection and preservation of democracy in Guyana.”

The regional bloc has played an integral role in Guyana’s protracted electoral process. It has been four months since Guyanese exercised their franchise at the March 2020 polls but an official declaration is yet to be made.
This is despite the special Caricom team, which scrutinised the 33-day recount exercise and certified the results, saying in its report to the GECOM Chair, (ret’d) Justice Claudette Singh, “nothing we witnessed, warrants a challenge to the inescapable conclusion that the recount results are acceptable and should constitute the basis of the declaration of results of the March 2, 2020 elections.”

The GECOM Chair had directed Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield last month to submit his final elections report based on the recount figures, which show the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in a landslide lead with some 15,416 votes more than its main political rival, the caretaker APNU/AFC coalition. The PPP/C obtained 233,336 votes while the APNU/AFC garnered 217,920 votes.

However, in his final elections report, the embattled CEO submitted figures of what he deemed “valid votes” giving the caretaker coalition 171,825 votes and the PPP/C 166,343 votes – which meant he invalidated over 115,000 votes.
Lowenfield has come into for a lot of criticism over his dumping of these 115,000-plus votes.
In fact, PM Mottley had questioned his action, asking “On what grounds and by what form of executive fiat does the Chief Election Officer determine that he should invalidate one vote, far less 115,000 votes?”
The Caricom Chair said that it was regrettable that the Community was now witnessing an unprecedented level of “gamesmanship” that has left much to be desired.

However, her remarks had earned her a barrage of attacks by the caretaker APNU/AFC and its supporters.
Despite previously deeming Caricom as the most “legitimate interlocutor” in Guyana’s electoral process, the APNU/AFC had issued a statement, which was subsequently withdrawn, saying “We believe that Prime Minister Mottley’s statement is both ill-informed and ill-advised… We view the Hon Prime Minister’s statement as not only untimely but, in fact, as interference in a matter on which the Constitution of Guyana is clear.”

In response, however, PM Mottley posited that the Community should never avoid upholding its shared principles.
“The truth hurts. But what we must never do in Caricom is avoid the truth and avoid our principles,” she said briefly at a subsequent press conference.

Adding to this, the former Caricom Chair on Friday said that it is “regrettable” that on July 3 – more than four months after the General and Regional Elections were held in Guyana – a credible winner has still not been declared.
PM Mottley made these remarks as she formally handed over the Chairmanship to Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, during a virtual ceremony on Friday. The new Caricom Chairman defended her firm stance on ensuring Guyana’s democracy is preserved.

“Her helpful initiatives [to] assist in the preservation of democracy in Guyana within the terms of the Caricom Charter of Civil Society will be long remembered, despite unwarranted, vulgar and opportunistic criticisms of her from jaundiced sources who ought to know better,” Gonsalves said on Friday.
This is not the first time Dr Gonsalves has spoken out about Guyana’s situation.

During an NBC Radio programme last month, the St Vincentian PM had warned that the regional bloc will not tolerate the “stealing” of an election, nor allow the results from the recount process to be set aside.
“I am satisfied that Caricom will not stand by idly and watch the recount which was properly done for the results to be set aside,” Mr Gonsalves, who was a part of the high-level delegation of regional leaders led by PM Mottely that visited Guyana back in March, had expressed.
However, he too had come under attacks for his comments.

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PPP/C hauls Ramjattan before ERC for racially incendiary remarks

July 3, 2020

ramjattan

The Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) has lodged a complaint with the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) against APNU/AFC’s Prime Ministerial Candidate Khemraj Ramjattan over racially incendiary remarks he recently made during a television programme broadcast in Trinidad and Tobago.

The complaint was filed by PPP/C’s Executive Member Anil Nandlall.

According to the letter of complaint, Ramjattan’s remarks are “capable of inciting racial hostilities amongst the people of Guyana, in particular between Indo and Afro Guyanese…”

See full letter of complaint below:

RE: Complaint against Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan

The PPP/C hereby lodges a complaint against Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan. Mr. Ramjattan, speaking on a live television program titled Morning Edition, broadcast on CCN TV6 in Trinidad and Tobago, today, June 2, 2020, published the following words:
“Black People can’t run oil money you have to have East Indians doing that”

Mr. Ramjattan alleged that these words were part of political advertisements published in Guyana.

It is clear that these words were intended and are capable of inciting racial hostilities amongst the people of Guyana, in particular between Indo and Afro Guyanese, may constitute an offence under the Racial Hostility Act, Chapter 23:01, Laws of Guyana, and are not protected by Article 146 of the Constitution of Guyana which guarantees freedom of expression and free speech, excepting, inter alia, “expressions, in whatever form, capable of exciting hostility against any person or class of persons.”

In the circumstances, we request that the Commission launches an investigation of this complaint and take such actions that it considers necessary and appropriate against Mr. Ramjattan, immediately.

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