Gov’t relaxes curfew to facilitate recount

ON the intervention of President David Granger, the National COVID-19 Task Force (NCFT) has agreed to have Caribbean Community (CARICOM) officials coming to Guyana for the National Recount to undergo the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for COVID-19 instead of being subjected to 14 days of quarantine.

Head of the NCTF, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on Sunday indicated that the Task Force had decided that the pending National Recount must be conducted within the COVID-19 curfew hours, and that international observers coming to the country must submit themselves to a 14-day quarantine at a government-run institution. But these decisions were reversed on Monday.

In a statement, the NCTF explained that during its statutory weekly meeting on Monday, Prime Minister Nagamootoo presented the guidance and advice of President Granger on the issue of screening guidelines for CARICOM officials who have been invited to take part in the recount of ballots cast in the March 2 General and Regional Elections.

The Head of State had received proposals from CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque for medical examinations of members of the delegation to be done in their countries of origin before their arrival in Guyana.

As such, the NCTF, in amending its earlier decisions, decided that “the CARICOM officials identified to participate in the recount of ballots be permitted to undergo WHO-approved reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for COVID-19 in their respective home countries prior to arrival in Guyana, and they will be permitted entry on the basis that such test results are negative.”

The Task Force said if any official is unable to have such a test conducted in their home country, that upon their arrival in Guyana, the Ministry of Public Health will facilitate the test here on condition that the official self-quarantines for a maximum of 48 hours while the test results are being ascertained.

As such, quarantining of the incoming officials for the mandatory period of 14 days will not be applicable upon compliance with either of the established requirements.

“Having been reviewed, and the interest of public health safety being considered, the NCTF accordingly varied the decision taken previously on this issue,” the Task Force said, while noting that Prime Minister Nagamootoo has written to the Chairman of GECOM, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, and Secretary-General of CARICOM to convey its decisions.

REVISED POSITION
In an interview with Guyana Chronicle on Monday, the GECOM Chairman confirmed that Prime Minister Nagamootoo communicated the COVID-19 Task Force’s revised position to the Commission.

In addition to agreeing to have the RT-PCR tests done by the CARICOM officials, Justice Singh said the Task Force has indicated that the tabulation process can be conducted up until 18:00hrs or 6pm daily.

In her initial communication with the Task Force, Justice Singh had signaled the Elections Commission’s intention to have the National Recount executed for a period of 10 hours daily (9:00hrs to 19:00hrs) until its completion. However, the Prime Minister, in communicating the NCTF’s initial position, advised that the tabulation process should conclude at 17:00hrs, so as to allow persons to adhere to the 6pm to 6am curfew.
However, with the intervention of President Granger, the Elections Commission has been granted permission to have the National Recount done for a period of 10 hours daily from 8:00hrs to 18:00hrs.

Earlier on Monday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, where she was conducting a site visit with the Elections Commissioners and health experts, the GECOM Chair had also communicated this position to the press.

Justice Singh said that while a commencement date for the National Recount has not been finalised, it has been agreed that the process will take occur for period of 10 hours daily from 8:00hrs to 18:00hrs.

The GECOM Chair said the groundwork must be completed before the recount commences but assured that the process will be initiated shortly.

“I am doing everything possible. I am the person who spoke about the recount; I am the person who made that commitment, and I am going to see it through and shortly too,” Justice Singh told reporters.

While the GECOM Chair last Friday decided that there would be no more than 10 workstations in the Conference Centre, she did not decide on the duration of the process. This, she said, was as a result of the need to communicate and consult with the National COVID-19 Task Force.

“I could not have told you the hours, because I had to consult with the Task Force as to working beyond the curfew period. As you know, the curfew begins at 6pm, and that means we would have to leave at 5pm,” Justice Singh explained.

VERY DISAPPOINTED

Opposition-nominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj, upon receiving the Chairman’s decision on the 10 workstations, had expressed disappointment that other matters such as the duration were not decided upon.

But Justice Singh on Monday said that Gunraj, like the other five Commissioners, was fully aware that the Elections Commission had taken a decision to consult with the National Task Force before arriving at any other decision, especially with respect to the timing of the tabulation.

It is believed that Gunraj was malicious in his actions, on the basis that he was fully aware that on Friday, the GECOM Chair could not have decided on the duration without seeking guidance from the Task Force.
Gunraj, like the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), had objected to the Elections Commission consulting with the National Task Force before finalising its plans. On Monday, he iterated his position, while alluding to guidelines independently established by the Supreme Court of Judicature.

“I reference that to say that the Supreme Court recognises its powers, and their powers are no more superior than that of the Guyana Elections Commission,” Commissioner Gunraj said. “And we have the power to direct our procedures and the guidelines in which we will operate. In so doing, we have no duty or no obligation to seek guidance or clarity or permission from the COVID-19 Task Force, as it is so labeled. It was always my position that what we needed to do was to inform them of the position that we have taken and which we intend to implement,” he told reporters while at the Conference Centre.

‘ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY’
But in the interview with Guyana Chronicle, the GECOM Chair said that given the extent of the National Recount, the intervention of the Task Force was absolutely necessary.
President Granger, on March 16, 2020, had issued directions pursuant to the Public Health Ordinance, in which he empowered the Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence to take strategic actions so as to maintain the wellbeing of the nation. On March 18, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority closed both international airports. As such, in order to have the CARICOM-high-level team return to Guyana or any other international observer, permission was needed from the Task Force.

Further to that, on April 3, the Government extended its emergency measures to combat the dread coronavirus with the implementation of a 12-hour curfew on citizens – 6pm to 6am. Initially, it was GECOM’s intention to work beyond 6pm (18:00hrs), and as such permission from the NCTF was a prerequisite. The emergency measures to combat the dreaded COVID-19 disease also include social distancing and physical distancing protocols, which also include a ban on large gatherings. With the estimated 10 workstations having a total of 14 persons at each, there would be more than 140 persons at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on a daily basis, and as such, guidance and permission from the NCTF were required.

On Monday, the technical experts of the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) while acknowledging systems that the Elections Commission has decided upon made further recommendations to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of those who would be present, are protected.

Government nominated Commissioner, Vincent Alexander, told reports that the health experts offered much needed advice and guidance, however, Opposition nominated Commissioner Robeson Benn, Guyana Chronicle was told, objected to many of the recommendations submitted by the health experts.
Commissioner Alexander, nonetheless, indicated that the health experts are expected to submit their recommendations in writing not later than this morning.