Basil Williams lies to OAS, says CCJ did not rule recount results must be used

Guyana’s Attorney General Basil Williams Tuesday lied to the Orgainsation of American States (OAS) Permanent Council that the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) did not rule that the recount results must be used as the basis for the elections declaration.

Unlike what was peddled by Williams, the CCJ had, in fact, endorsed the recount process and made it clear that it must be the basis on which a declaration is made by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Williams was at the time defending the government’s actions at a special hearing of the Permanent Council convened to discuss Guyana’s political crisis following the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

Williams during his presentation said: “The CCJ never made a ruling that the results of the recount must be used by GECOM to determine the results of the elections, that was never a decision of the CCJ”

However, the CCJ in its judgement said: “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.”

Williams also told the Permanent Council that President David Granger has given an undertaking that he will abide by the ruling of the courts, but this is also inaccurate since at every turn, the APNU/AFC has engaged in efforts to appeal all of the decisions that were not in its favour.

The APNU/AFC Coalition has lost the March 2 elections but is refusing to concede defeat.
A national recount has proven that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) won the elections with 233,336 votes.