Many of us have observed with great sadness what has been transpiring in Guyana.
It is more than 100 days since the people of Guyana went to the polls. And yet there is no declared result. From the very beginning, we have been clear and said consistently that every vote must count and every vote must be made to count in a fair and transparent way.
Regrettably, we have seen a level of gamesmanship that has left much to be desired and has definitely not portrayed our Caribbean region in the best light. This is definitely NOT our finest hour and we MUST NOT shy away from that reality.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is concerned at reports that the Chief Elections Officer has submitted a report to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) which is contrary to the directions given by the Commission and which does not reflect the results of the recount process as certified by the very staff of the Guyana Elections Commission and witnessed by representatives of the political parties.
Indeed, these numbers and the certification of them were also witnessed by our CARICOM Observer Team. They travelled to Guyana (in spite of the pandemic and the risk to themselves) and they scrutinised the recount process.
The CARICOM Observer Team was of the unshakeable belief that the people of Guyana expressed their will at the ballot box on March 2 and that the results of the recount certified as valid by the staff of GECOM led to an orderly conclusion on which the declaration of the results of the election would be made.
Therefore, we must ask – on what grounds and by what form of executive fiat does the Chief Elections Officer determine that he should invalidate 1 vote, far less over 115 000 votes when the votes were already certified as valid by officers of the Guyana Elections Commission in the presence of the political parties.
We must remind all that if there is any evidence of fraudulent or improper conduct then there is a clear and well-accepted route to deal with these matters. It is through an Election Petition to an Election Court.
Any attempt to provide numbers different from those certified by the staff of GECOM has left many in shock and wondering what next will happen to frustrate the will of the Guyanese people.
The role and focus of political parties must be useful and not obstructive in embracing and promoting the clear and expressed will of the people. When we confuse and frustrate that will, is when we begin to sow the very seeds of discord and acrimony that we are sworn to dissuade and discourage.
The Community holds the strong view that no voter must be disenfranchised in determining the credibility of this or any election. It is this commitment to a fair and transparent political process that led us to send 2 Electoral Observation Missions – one for the Elections and one for the recount. In addition, 4 Prime Ministers accompanied me to talk to both sides and to urge patience especially after the death of 1 person.
The Community thanks patience of the Guyanese people and thanks you.
As you await the finalisation of this process, we urge again that you be patient and that you be committed to the fact that no electoral process can replace the life of any Guyanese. There must be room for all regardless of who wins and who loses.
I assure you that the Community remains committed to the people of Guyana and remains resolute that the report of its Observer Mission was very clear in its conclusions as to the will of the Guyanese people as reflected in the recount which they monitored.
Click here for the unofficial results of the March 2, 2020 Guyana general and regional elections which has the opposition PPP/C defeating the ruling APNU-AFC.
@Francisco, you just cannot live with it but, it is a fact. The Dominican electorate flatly and unequivocally and convincingly rejected the UWP at the polls. There is no way that the election results were rigged. That is what you want people to believe but, they all know that it is not true.. I suspect you have high blood pressure and you need to be taking your medication daily so as to cool down. I don’t even think the people of Wesley give a hoot about you. You need to grow up Francisco and grow out of your petty jealousness. Cara Shillingford has no choice but to support you foolish people. If she does not, then, her own people in Salisbury will be pelting down stones at her. Power, not by might but by the ballot box. Take it or leave it.
You are either as blind as they come or you Master will be paying you to broadcast nonsense like that on here.
‘there is no way that the election result was rigged’ ? Are you for real?
You only got one thumbs up on that; and that’s because you gave it to yourself; if what you deduced about me and blood pressure, and jealousy was true everybody would have given you thumbs up.
If you did not give that thumbs up to yourself; the only person I know would support that is my arch enemy a woman known to me as “Elizabeth Xavier.”
Hahahahahahahahahah!
But you see, I’ve never being jealous of anybody over their success in life, for “what’s mine I shall find.”
And I believe at my age I’ve already found it all!
If you are suggesting I am jealous of Roosevelt you are wrong: So, let me say I’ve never stolen anything in my life; and as for Wesley people not caring a hoots about me; you are wrong again!
If I am investigated by the police to find the source of money I use to buy, or build my houses, they’ll find I did not steal one dime!
“Ain’t renting to myself eh!”
Power not by might. That is what the UWP hypocrites fail to realize. The Dominican electorate has spoken. They have flatly rejected the UWP and they cannot take it with grace. Shame on you all. All that burning and looting and blocking roads don’t pay. We should not win elections with this kind of attitude. The problem with you folks is that you all want UWP to get in power so you all can get rich quick. It does not work that way. Mia is right. It is sad. It is a sad for Guyana between the Indians and the black Guyanese.
“It is more than 100 days since the people of Guyana went to the polls. And yet there is no declared result. From the very beginning, we have been clear and said consistently that every vote must count and every vote must be made to count in a fair and transparent way. ”
You see that’s what happens when elections are stolen!
Your friend Roosevelt who gave you Ross Medical School should not be Prime Minister at this moment!
Roosevelt has not won an election fairly in the country from the first one he won; though I am skeptical, I’ll give him credit for his first win.
Nevertheless, from there on there has been improprieties: The last election in Dominica is scandalous; it went beyond thievery, how come you do not it fit to criticize Roosevelt and his cynical methods he uses to take the election. (I duh know if is thief somebody been thieving Dominica elections for more than twenty years).
Nobody knows how to thief election than a certain doctor!
Way Papa, These UWP-ites are such sour losers. They still crying about an election which they lost convincingly (18 – 3). The irony is that they will be losing again come next election (21 – 0) and will still be back on DNO licking their wounds and crying foul.
Total hypocrisy from the people who aided and the PM to Steal the Dominica election.
One of the most corrupt elections was held recently in Dominica. Not a word of concern or condemnation from Mia Motley nor the other CARICOM heads. Your collective and deafening silence gives consent to rogue leaders like this one in Dominica, of Aljazeera infamy, to violate democratic norms with impunity.
Pay day will come for all those corrupt leaders no matter how long it takes. God do not like ugly.
It was. With sadness mia dem day kar lay..salsbury people..girl shut up…with your space teéth .i know your dasheen dry but please shut the f…up
So much to say about Guyana’s election and the peoples right and cries but not one word from CARICOM on Dominica’s election blight and the appeals by the official opposition and wide majority of people for the cleaning and updating of the election list in Dominica that would allow for fair, free and accountable voting processes as supported by the various observer teams including the very CARICOM Team following the 2009, 2014 -guess what we are still awaiting the official report on 2019 election. CARICOM says election vice should be brought to the courts via election petitions but what good is it when in one CARICOM jurisdiction, Dominica , the court takes almost two election cycles to hear an election petition matter/ yet still not one WORD coming CARICOM. What mockery, BUT that to Madame Prime Minister puts our region in bad light as far as jurist prudence is concerned ; justice delayed is justice denied.
Mia, all you have been watching what’s been going on in Dominica for the last 3 elections and even though it’s obvious to see even to a blind man, all you did nothing, infact you sanctioned it silently. Now all of a sudden you crying foul because the pressure is increasing to do something about it. If in the poorest country within the Caribbean one single part can pay up to 75 million dollar for election propaganda and other activities and the opposition can not afford to spend a million Dollars, it must be plain to see what’s going on. If one would then examine the electoral list one would find that dead people have been voting, it must be clear that things are not right. But guess what, the so called ‘winner’ of these elections is still in office and is still sitting on the same table to have lunch with all you! If one sleeps with a dog with fleas one must not be surprised if one gets them as well.
What hypocrisy on Mis Mottley’s part she and others see a problem in Guyana’s election but fail to point that out in a stolen election in Dominica.A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.the region awaits its revolution until this evil and corrupt practices come to an end.
Maybe skerit gave them a course! Or they been watching skerit and though if he can do it, we can do it too.
Dominica isn’t any different, in that there are also power-hungry people in office too.
Following independence from Britain, English speaking C/bean countries followed the precedents we inherited for good governance. Now, a few short years later leaders believe that the traditions, customs, and practices of the British Colonial masters are to be discarded for a hybrid of thuggery, skulduggery and in some cases open corruption, to keep them in power whilst they plunder the meager resources of their respective countries. I see that they are doing their best to prove that they are third world countries, and are mirror images of their fore father’s in Africa and other countries where leaders serve themselves first and the rest of the citizenry last, if at all. One would have thought that with the passage of time these young democracies would strengthen their practice of good governance but alas power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, hence the need to seek to remain in power by any and all means necessary. Where have all the good politicians gone?
The OBSERVERS said the 2019 election held in Dominica was FREE and FAIR.Those crooked UWP traitors cannot do a thing about it.LAZY.
How come you didn’t “observe with great sadness” when our general elections was stolen last December. Woman. You are a hypocrite!
Let’s be blunt. Caribbean politicians will do anything to hold onto or get into power. Money and power are their main driving forces not the welfare and wellbeing of the people.
CARICOM is a toothless tiger. Many incumbent Caribbean governments are in power today because of corrupt electoral systems and unscrupulous election officials. Dominica is a prime example. CARICOM sits idly by and approve the corruption.
During the most recent elections in Dominica massive fraud and numerous irregularities occurred. Yet CARICOM member countries were quick to send congratulatory messages to a known rogue leader. Those in Guyana now think that they too can get away by doing likewise.
The entire Caribbean region suffers from rudderless leadership. Hence the high indebtedness, comatose economies, soaring unemployment and mounting crimes.
Talk and more useless talk. The political problem in Guyana is driven by race. The Indians think they must have it all and the people of African origin must just sit on the sidelines. Guyanese Indians are now calling on the government in India to talk on their behalf so that they can once again control the political power. Who speaks for the guyanese of African origin?
Anon, I totally agree. The Almighty himself will speak and advocate on behalf of Afro-Guyanese as as long as they continue to honor, petition, worship and praise.
Guyana has long been a hot mess of a racially polarized nation pre and post-independence. The Indian segment of the population whose ancestors first arrived as indentured servants from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (Formerly Ceylon) have had an ecomomic headstart over the folks of African decent from the jump. While the Indians were able to parlay their initial wealth advantage into widespread business and land ownership, the African descendants for the most part have been clawing and fighting to scrape out a meager leaving.
Furthermore, the recent projected oil boon has made the Indians more hell bent on regaining the political ascendency they lost in 2015. Now they have resorted to crying wolf across the globe to anyone who will listen.
what a mess power hungry people
Gamesmanship is de key word. When Skerrit doing it other leaders in CARICOM send in de RSS.
Gamesmanship is de word when CARICOM leaders see oil investment potential….. passport selling is not as sustainable as oil.
This is the results of political and judicial manipulations being allowed in the voting process which has been ongoing for much too long, culminating with this situation in Guyana. The same system who ig’s responsible to uphold the rule of law is helping violate it along with the will of the people. How does caricom respond? Through a statement! Last year the RSS was released on the will of the Dominican electorate.
The role and focus of political parties must be useful and not obstructive in embracing and promoting the clear and expressed will of the people. When we confuse and frustrate that will, is when we begin to sow the very seeds of discord and acrimony that we are sworn to dissuade and discourage. Bloody hypocrisy!!!! Mia you and the rest of the leadership should establish clear values and principles. We had bribery of voters in Dominica and RSS was sent to intimidate dominicans. I would would remove Dominica from OECS and CARICOM because they have been worthless over the years. Our economies are not interdependent so we are not going to loose anything. You guys only interested in Guyana because of the huge oil reserves discovered and like leaches waiting for some results so you can start playing friends. Your silence and support of the BS that has happened in Dominica tells me you guys are full of crap and only talk for personal political points.