GCCI writes President Granger

IN light of the decision of Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire that the results of the General and Regional Elections must be declared based on the data generated during the National Recount, the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the leading advocate for the private sector in Guyana, and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) are calling for an early end to the electoral process.

In a letter addressed to President David Granger, GCCI President Nicholas Boyer drew attention to the fact that it has been 141 days since elections were conducted here, and to date the results have not been declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

Notwithstanding the fact that GECOM has not declared the results of the highly-controversial elections, the GCCI President suggested that President Granger should concede defeat, and instruct Tucville, Georgetown voter, Misenga Jones to withdraw her appeal filed before the Court of Appeal.

“You also have the power to ask the Attorney-General to not support any appeal from the Government’s side either,” Boyer said in the letter.
He added: “Excellency, I can guarantee there is very little chance of success in the Appeals’ Court, because according to the Chief Justice’s decision, Ms. Jones would be asking the Court of Appeal to overturn their own statements and points raised in the Ulita Moore ruling.”

The letter by GCCI comes as no surprise, as the organisation, which is expected to be impartial, has long thrown its support behind the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), and has joined forces with other organisations such as the Private Sector Commission (PSC) to advocate for the removal of the Granger Administration though the electoral process is incomplete.

Meanwhile, the PSC, in a statement, said it 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 roles and responsibilities of the Chief Elections Officer and the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).

It also noted 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.”
It also expressed satisfaction with the Chief Justice’s decision that the Chief Elections Officer is subject to the direction and control of the Commission in submitting his report to GECOM.

Notwithstanding the fact that the GECOM has offered its commitment to await the ruling of the Court of Appeal in the latest elections case, the PSC called on the Elections Commission “to sanction no further delay in arriving at the declaration of the elections result from the Recount,” so as to pave way for the swearing in of the elected President.