Guyana’s destiny rests on the shoulders of Claudette Singh and others – Commonwealth Secretary General

According to Commonwealth Secretary General, Patricia Scotland, Guyana’s destiny as a great nation rests on the shoulders of Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (retd) Claudette Singh and others who are “bound by duty to make the right decisions, respect the rule of law, the will of the people and those who are ready to put their country before personal ambitions.”

The official made these and other strong remarks in a statement yesterday. In her missive to the press, Scotland urged Guyana’s leaders to be “faithful to the common good” so that the future “may be truly forged”.
The Commonwealth Secretary General also welcomed and noted the recent pronouncements by the Chairman of CARICOM, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, where he called on all stakeholders to respect the ruling handed down by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Guyana’s final court of appeal.

“In accordance with the applicable laws and the Constitution of Guyana,” Scotland said “the CCJ exercised its final appellate jurisdiction, and, on 8 July, 2020, handed down a clear and unambiguous ruling.”
The CCJ in their judgment stated, “It is for GECOM to ensure that the election results are swiftly declared in accordance with the Laws of Guyana.”

Noting that Guyana is a much loved and valued member of the Commonwealth, Scotland “strongly urged” GECOM to adhere to the directions given by the CCJ and “decisively conclude the March 2, 2020 elections based on the results of the national recount.”

Those results show a clear win for the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) with a total of 233,336 valid votes, handing them the 33-seat majority in Parliament while the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition got a total of 217,920 valid votes, which gained them 31 seats. The tri-party joinder, which includes A New And United Guyana (ANUG), The Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) and The New Movement (TNM), earned enough votes for one seat in Parliament.

Scotland added that for democracy to prevail in Guyana, “the will of the people as expressed in the March 2 polls must be respected.
“I urge all political actors and stakeholders in Guyana to accept and respect the results of the national recount and ensure that their words and actions promote an environment of peace, harmony and social cohesion among all Guyanese,” the Secretary General said.