GECOM has the right, responsibility and jurisdiction to investigate the incidences of deceased and migrant voting and every other statistical anomaly

Dear Editor,

It was only two months ago and the memory of strident demands for verification, transparency and credibility in the tabulation and declaration of results for District 4 is still searing and fresh. Western governments and missions, international observer missions, local observer and civil society groups and respected personalities, political parties outside of government and the PPP/C, in particular, agreed and supported legal actions, street protests and demonstrations (often violent), and threatened economic and criminal sanctions to force GECOM to conduct investigations, not sanctioned by the law at the time, into alleged improprieties by the Returning Officer of District 4 and to forestall and prevent a declaration in favour of APNU+AFC.

The overwhelming local and international pressure led to a CARICOM-brokered agreement between the President and the Leader of the Opposition that was supported by all contesting parties, as well as other domestic and foreign entities claiming to have an interest in our elections, and to a GECOM decision and order for the conduct of a National Recount of ballots including the following;
1. The reconciliation of the ballots issued with the ballots cast, destroyed, spoiled, stamped, and as deemed necessary, their counterfoils/stubs;
2. Authenticity of the ballots and the number of voters listed and crossed out as having voted;
3. The number of votes cast without ID cards;
4. The number of proxies issued and the number utilised;
5. Statistical anomalies; and
6. Occurrences recorded in the Poll Book.

The PPP/C has always been uncomfortable with this broad remit and has tried valiantly to dismiss the numerous irregularities and to minimise their significance. Their most recent threat to employ the courts to frustrate the collection of damning and incontrovertible evidence of their electoral misadventure is destined to fail as it is clear to almost everyone that GECOM has the right, responsibility and jurisdiction, under its Gazetted Order 60/2020 of May 4, 2020, to investigate the incidences of deceased and migrant voting and every other statistical anomaly brought to its attention including the disappearance/unavailability of 33% of Poll Books and the rejection of numerous Disciplined Services ballots for want of official mark.

Ballots rejected for want of official mark (unstamped) is the only category of rejected ballots that is solely the responsibility of the Presiding Officer/ Assistant Presiding Officer, not the elector, and should be a rare occurrence, and rarer still where Disciplined Services ballots are involved since they are all together and stamped at the same time.

The PPP/C has clearly abandoned all pretence of concern for transparency and credibility in favour of concealment and denial, and seems unable to mobilise and inspire the support it enjoyed a few months ago.

Sincerely,
Oscar Dolphin